What’s the single most important thing I’ve done in this garden since starting it in 2018? Planted a native hedgerow 
Often when I mention that I am an organic gardener and use no pesticides and toxic chemicals in the garden many ask how do I cope with snails, caterpillars and all kinds of pests that affect plant growth? There are many proven ways to tackle such problems but I believe that planting a hedgerow with native trees has transformed everything in my garden.
In just 3 years, small trees/whisps no taller than 30cm and as thin as pencils have matured into a dense hedge that is an important corridor for all wildlife. I love walking up the garden in the morning and seeing the hedge teaming with all kinds of small birds and insects. The hedge contains hawthorn, blackthorn, willow, rowan, elder, birch, beech, wild roses, alder and brambles and has become an integral haven for everything that helps me in the garden!
The answer to problems like pests is to have a healthy and complete eco system with rich biodiversity. Planting hedges where we once erected fencing will help you achieve this suddenly. If planning laws alone stipulated that all new housing required hedges rather than fencing the environment would benefit greatly 
There is so much emphasis on planting trees (and often not native trees) on acres of prosperous agricultural land, but what about us in our villages and towns? We can make a difference by planting hedges and trees and bringing new life to our gardens
