The plants down low
The plants at ground height can include annuals such as calendula, borage, mustards, lupins, peas, phacelia, violas, or any herb or flower that won't compete with young shrubs.
In drier sites, woody herbs such as rosemary, lavender, and thyme are great understorey plants that provide food, medicine, and flowers for bees.
The deep roots of fennel, comfrey, yarrow, dandelion, and plantain bring up nutrients, then distribute them back to the soil as they die down.
Short-lived herbs such as calendula, borage, chamomile, parsley, and chives provide nutrients to the soil and food and habitat to beneficial insects.
However, these may not be feasible if you're planting a large hedgerow on a block. Mulch and biodegradable plant protectors might be preferable, especially if you have rabbits and hares.
Perennial vegetables work well, including globe artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes, and alexanders, which provide food, flowers for bees, and mulch.
Rhubarb is a mineral accumulator but be aware its leaves can be toxic to livestock.
The legume family – peas, beans, vetches, clovers, lupins – provide nitrogen.
All these plants work together to feed and support the hedgerow and the health of the soil it grows in.
Hedgerows have so many benefits, and I believe they should be an integral part of our farming landscape. You can apply the principles I've outlined to other areas, such as gullies or an awkward corner in a paddock. If you're planting a riparian area, why not add hedgerow plants, and make it
■ even more helpful to your environment.