Hedges and Boundaries
Special Pages > Trees in the Seasons
The Parkland was farmland until nearly a century ago, so many of the hedges may have been there for hundreds of years the map of Hill House farm dated 1722 shows clearly the field patterns in the early 18th century. Those fields are unchanged and are still recognisable on the ground today with the field boundaries clear. In some parts of the park marked by the lines of old oak trees, There is an oak tree on each of the two islands in the lake and these marked the intersection of the tithe boundaries. There are in excess of a kilometre of hedgerows in the park and in 2019 the Friends planted a new hedgerow adjacent to the path by the wood. Hedgerows rose are very important for insects and birds providing cover and in the spring they blossom providing food for insects.
Blackthorn
Flowering in March and early April, blackthorn bushes are covered in clouds of snow white flowers, in autumn they produce small dark purple fruits which are used to make sloe gin
Bramble
Brambles have long, thorny and arching stems which often grow up to two metres or more long, with clusters of white or pink flowers appearing in late spring to early summer. Followed by blackberries in the autumn there are many superstitions around brambles including the warning that they should not be picked after Michaelmas Day in October as the devil will have made them bitter.
Hawthorn
Another name is may, after the month in which it flowers, the leaves often appear before the pale pink blossom, which attracts many insects and birds, small red berries appear in autumn which birds enjoy before winter.