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Most of the 4 acres that make up our property in Little Spicewood, Texas were untouched by human hands for decades before we bought it 5 years ago. As we work to clear thousands of limbs, branches and dead trees, we create piles and piles of detritus. We’ve chipped some of it, but it’s been a lot of dead material, and it wasn’t pretty.
Dead hedges became our solution. Dead hedges are narrow piles of dead or recently trimmed garden waste that can be used as a screen, windbreak, or, for me, just art. Importantly, these enclosures also provide a home for all kinds of critters, such as rodents, insects, amphibians and birds. In fact, when our son saw the first dead hedge I made, he said it looked like a linear bird’s nest.
1. A trail line
My first dead hedge was made from several large piles of limbs that we had behind the property chipper inaccessible – piles that could not be burned due to fire hazards. We had already built the trail, so I just started the hedge along the edge of the trail, thinking it would further define the trail and add visual interest. I made an “opening” in the hedge and built a little sitting area—with a “table” our electrician son salvaged from a job site—so we could sit and listen to the birds.
Some people build dead hedges using vertical poles or stakes as a medium to contain limbs and branches. I didn’t want to spend money on wood, nor did I like the aesthetics of this method, so I looked for another way to give the hedge some structure. I laid a strong, wide base of large logs (4 inches or so in diameter), and then piled on the smaller pieces, tying them together — haphazardly — to create the structure. Basically, I just make the hedges taller and thicker by jamming in the new pieces so everything ties together.
2. Create a meditation nook
My primary goal is to eliminate the unsightly piles of dead tree parts that clutter our land, and I’m not inclined to carry dead limbs across the property to create a hedge in the “perfect” spot. So I usually build a hedge adjacent to wherever the pile is. This fun little two-part hedge acts as a small V-shape between a beautiful cedar elm and one of the walking trails. We got this amazing handcrafted chair from a friend and along with the tall hedge walls, it all comes together to create a little space to sit and contemplate what needs to be done.
This is the tallest of the hedges I’ve built, at about 3.5 feet. Some of our hedges are 2 feet tall, and others fall in between. Heights will, of course, always be in flux, as the hedges settle and then I build them taller with more deadwood. Clean, too, will always be in flux, as they go from tight and clean to a bit more… freeform.
3. Reveal the artistry of Mother Nature.
I am always looking for beauty in nature, and I loved the “spindle” created by a long dead, decaying, and untouched pine elm tree. While some might have chosen to cut it out, instead I used a chainsaw to clear some of the dead wood around the spire and used those clippings to create a sort of background—a way to reveal the spindle.
I fully understand and expect that the dead hedges I build will heal, tip over, die, or eventually decay. I’m fine with that. This is part of the process. I also know that there will always be more material on our property that I can use to rebuild or supplement the hedges after they die.
4. Create a viewing area
On the property next door is the headwaters of a wet weather creek that crosses our land. When the water flows, it’s a beautiful place—big rocks, moss, and beautiful, lacy maidenhair ferns. When I walk on my property, I like to appreciate this gift of nature. Fortunately, on our side of the property line, there was a large pile of limbs nearby from what we had cleared, so I used them to create a viewing area that looked over the headwaters. Unfortunately, we are in a severe drought, so no water at the moment, but when the rains return I will be ready to sit back and enjoy the view.
5. Make a grand entrance
We recently built a fence. In front of the fence we placed—you guessed it—another seating area. We decided that this sitting area needed a grand entrance, and of course there was a limb or two and a pile of branches nearby. So now we have a beautiful new entrance to our new seating area with a new fence. I’m still working on these hedges, and I suspect they’ll get taller and taller as I have time to work on them.
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