This public art commission involves planting a new multispecies hedge in Kings Hedges, resulting in a living, edible artwork. The project draws from research into the social history and ecology of hedgerows in England and a series of participatory workshops and events. 

The People’s Hedge has been planted and will be laid and maintained in a traditional ‘South of England’ style. Located in the gardens in front of the new development, the hedge is a five-meter-long, double-row planted structure.

This recalls the traditional practice of planting hedges in double rows and ‘laying’ them for added security – a process which consists of cutting and bending young trees to create a barrier impermeable to livestock, while also keeping the landless at bay. However, the double-planting and laying of hedge trees (or whips as the young plants are known) also open up the hedge’s interior, creating a safe space for wildlife and wandering humans to shelter and rest. The density of a well-laid hedge along with its exposure to light works together to reproduce the habitat that exists on the edges of woodland, while the grassy slopes of the mound have been planted with strawberries and a wildflower lawn.

As Kings Hedges resident Cab Davidson says, "each hedge tells a story, the story of the place where it grows". There are remnants of ancient hedgerow in Kings Hedges that likely date back to the Roman era. The namesake hedges of the ward – one short stretch of which remain – were originally planted as part of a royal warren or hunting ground, for the purpose of funnelling deer and other animals, making them easier to catch. The People's Hedge project begins with these land-based histories, involving local participants who have been learning to track wild animals and investigating local plant lore. These local collaborators will become the stewards and beneficiaries of the hedge as it grows to maturity.