Some homeowners find the maintenance of hedging around their property to be onerous and so decide to replace the hedging with fencing instead but is this a wise move?
Undoubtedly fencing is easier to maintain as once installed it will only need painting every couple of years to keep it looking in tiptop condition. Taking out a hedge can also give more space in a garden as it is amazing how much width a hedge takes up. It could be that the garden is about two metres wider in some cases. Fencing looks more uniform if that is the look that is wanted for the garden and can easily be replaced if concrete fenceposts are used between panels.
If the householder enjoys seeing birds in the garden and likes to encourage wildlife to visit, then keeping hedging around the property is much better. Hedges not only provide nesting places for blackbirds and other garden birds but also are home to insects which birds can eat. Having a hedge around the garden also means that the garden is accessible to other small creatures such as hedgehogs, frogs and mice. So, for those that want to encourage wildlife to visit, keep the hedge and ditch the fencing.