This is the story of how Britishhedgerows contribute to our national identity and our wildlife. Overthe centuries we have proved ourselves to be a nation of hedge growers,marking boundaries or trimming them into fantastical creations. Fromformal garden features to emphatically rustic barriers, Hugh exploresour hedges in all their diversity.Hedge Britannia offers a wittyinsight into the history of hedges and the way they relate to ourculture as well as our landscape. Hugh travels the breadth of Britainmeeting fellow enthusiasts who range from horticultural experts to theBrixton man who lovingly cultivated a whale-shaped hedge and ran intotrouble with the local council. As well as two full-colour platesections, there are case studies about hedges of particular note, likethe towering Meikleour beech hedge, the castellated hedge and spectacular topiary at LevensHall and the bamboozling hedge maze at Chatsworth (where Hugh gotpredictably and happily lost).Both pithy and informative, this is The Cloudspotter's Guide meets Flora Britannica.