HEDGE DATING

We know hedges can be old, but just how old are they?

Samples of the hedge need to be taken using 'Hooper's Law' -

Hooper's Law - a method devised by Dr Max Hooper in the 1950s for dating hedges - is based on the number of woody species (trees) found in a 30m (100 ft.) length of the hedge. Climbers and shrubs such as Bramble, Dog Rose and Honeysuckle are normally excluded.

For example: If the average number of species from the random samples - 30m lengths of the hedge is 8.2 this indicates that the hedge age exceeds 800 years.

Each different woody species (tree) found represents a century in the life of the hedge.

There are now 8 wood species in Phoenix Hedge!