What do you want to plant in the native hedge. Best thing to do is to see what grows in the fields around you.

Don't feed. Plant in well cultivated soil, hope for a good rain, and leave alone. No point feeding until the new plants show growth, and even then I wouldn't worry. They'll be tougher and the only thing they'll want is water, ESPECIALLY IN DRY SPELLS.

Most hedges will tolerate a wide pH level from about 5.5 - 7 and a lot will even survive in acid soil down to 3.

Our hedges are quite old and contain a good mix of shrubs.....the birds love them, my neighbour bought rooted slips by the dozen I think , very reasonable price and they all took and shot away, they need attention to get a strong hedge though

Just a thought - I would avoid blackthorn as it suckers like mad at long distances from the parent. As the others said, anything you fancy really - the important thing is to cut it back well at the start so it branches low down.

Unless you want sloe gin Stera!

Yes but you have to let them get quite tall for that. But I have to confess, if we want sloes they grow wild in all the hedgerows round here. I do love the pretty little flowers though, they are so early and so dainty.

Also, if you do not need a hedge to keep out animal or humans then leave out any of the prickly things. they are unpleasant to cut and dispose of the cuttings. Go for Beech, Hornbeam, Laurel, Native Privet (different to the Chinese one normally planted), Ash, Oak etc. All these can be kept to a reasonable height.

Owlboggy- would they do ok growing adjacent to 6ft fence panels? Ideally would like hedge to grow higher to create privacy and muffle noise.

If you plant beech against a fence make sure to leave plenty of room behind it. They get increasingly wide with age when they aren't allowed to grow to tree height. This may be true of the others and probably is. But beech is nice because it keeps its brown leaves all winter and makes a nice place for birds to roost in. Depends really whether you want to mix your hedge with things like wild rose and honeysuckle, and that would be a bit out of character with a formal beech one.

Right as ever.

!!!! :)