Plant ‘tredges’ to boost England’s tree cover, gardeners urged | Trees and forests

To increase Britain’s tree cover, gardeners should plant native “weed grasses” consisting of foliage between the size of a tree and the hedge, the Royal Horticultural Society has said.

Drawing inspiration from ancient woodlands could boost wildlife in England’s 25-foot gardens and help increase native tree cover, experts say. woodland of the United Kingdom about 10% and the government aims to increase this to at least 16.5% of all land in England by 2050.

A garden demonstrating this approach will be unveiled at the Chelsea flower fair in May. Woodland Foundation: Garden of Forgotten Forests by Ashleigh Aylett It will represent a damaged ancient woodland transitioning from dark, monocultural conifer forest to regenerated, thriving ancient woodland.

His design will include “indicator” plants that can be used to identify ancient woodlands, such as wild service tree and red carnation.

Woodland Foundation found Only 7% of natural woodland in the UK is in good condition, with serious knock-on effects on the wildlife that call these trees home.

While her garden is an ambitious example of recreating an ancient woodland, there are lessons to be learned from it, such as planting small native trees and “combs” for anyone with green space at home.

Mark Gush, head of environmental horticulture at the RHS, said: “Often found in ancient woodland, it is a top choice for gardeners looking for a small tree Crataegus laevigata. It is a great example of a ‘tredge’ that can be both a freestanding tree and a hedge.

“It strikes a perfect balance between beauty and functionality. With attractive foliage, flowers and hawksbills, it is also hardy to extremely wet and dry climatic conditions, tolerant of clay soils and there is research evidence to show that this genus is effective at trapping pollutants from busy roads in summer. Its spiny protective canopy supports biodiversity and helps mitigate the risk of flooding from summer showers through effective water uptake.”

The Woodland Trust is trying to make planting trees more accessible for those with small spaces and who are worried about giant trees dwarfing their gardens. Native trees do not have to be large. Planting a small native species can produce spring blooms and abundant fall fruit without taking up too much space. A variety of trees also benefit the garden as different species have different root architecture, which improves the health and structure of the soil.

Aylett’s garden will also showcase “forest planting,” which features layered canopies ranging from groundcovers of various sizes to herbaceous perennials, shrubs and trees, with the added benefit of maximizing species diversity in limited spaces and providing protective benefits against the extreme climatic conditions (hot and cold) offered by this approach.

Gush said transitional gardening, where multiple different habitats lead into each other and have distinct boundaries between them, is a good way to mimic ancient woodland habitat at home.

He added: “Forest edges support some of the highest levels of biodiversity because they represent an ‘ecotone’, a transition zone between different environments. Ecotones between two habitats are often richer in species than either. This is a concept that can be applied incredibly successfully to home gardens where ecotones are abundant – from lawns to edges, from edges to shrubs and trees, to pond edges and more. Consider gentler gradual transition rather than hard cutting.”

The RHS encourages gardeners to choose trees grown under the UKISG (UK and Ireland sourced and grown) programme; This program allows these trees to be grown from seed and helps prevent the introduction of new pests and diseases, one of the most significant threats to native trees. For smaller gardens, they are asking people to plant a native hedge instead of fences or walls. This allows people to include native species without the need for a large garden, while also providing valuable food and habitat for the wildlife that depends on them.

After the show, the Woodland Trust garden will be moved to Hawthorn primary school in Newcastle upon Tyne. Because the school is located in an area with low tree cover, access to trees will increase in a neighborhood with limited canopy cover.

‘Tredges’ with environmental benefits in the UK, selected by RHS

• Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

• Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

• Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)

• Common badger (Taxus baccata)

• Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)