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Plans are underway to bring new life to what is thought to be the
oldest hedge in Henleaze which local historians think was first
planted as far back as 1300.
The Phoenix Hedge runs between Phoenix Grove and Henleaze Park
straddling the Henleaze Junior School playing fields and Golden Hill
Sports ground. It`s so old that no-one knows who actually
owns the hedge or the land it grows on.
But this has not stopped local people, like former teacher Sylvia
Kelly, from doing their best to maintain the hedge. The last time time
the Phoenix Hedge received attention was 14 years ago. But now it`s
much in need of more work.
Sylvia Kelly and other local hedge supporters are planning a “Hedge
Action Day” later inp
the year. In the meantime the three schools on the Henleaze Campus are
interested in using the development of the hedge as part of their
curriculum.
They are taking action to remove a line of leylandii trees which stand
on the playing field side of the hedge and both impede its growth and
block light. The schools are having to wait until the end of the bird
nesting season before the leylandii can
be removed.
Sylvia Kelly has a wealth of information about the
hedge. She writes:
“You can verify the age of the hedge by counting the number of woody
plants in it. Each one represents a century and include hawthorn and
blackthorn, and an ash that escaped the hedger`s
saw and grew into a real tree but its horizontal branches show where it
was once laid”
“Then there is elm and spindle— you`ll notice the spindle`s
spectacular orange and red fruits—which only occurs in hedges over 350
years old”.
If anyone would like to join the Phoenix Hedge Volunteers contact
Sylvia Kelly on 0117 962
3785 or zen151788@zen.co.uk and help the Phoenix Hedge rise again!
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