Poor boundary hedge - looking at cheap way out

Cuchulain

Ok my boundary hedge was a disgrace, ivy grown over dead trees, briars two inches thick.....the lot. I got a guy to come in a clear down all the crap to a managable height and remove uneeded stuff. Its looking pretty bare out there.

So on my walk yesterday I seen numerous saplings sitting pretty on the side of hedgerows (at the side of the road), mostly around 2-4 foot high (dont ask me what type, but they came from the hedge nearby). My questions are

1) Is it possible to dig out these saplings and plant them in my horror hedge?
2) How big of a "circle" should i dig around the base to make sure roots stay intact?
3) Whats the best time of the year for doing this?

Some pics of my hedge at the mo.

1) The Hedge 1 - http://i35.tinypic.com/14jyvpl.jpg
2) The Hedge 2 - http://i36.tinypic.com/2057ara.jpg

If somebody could throw an eye over these trees to help identify them....we used to have another tree the same as "Unknown tree 1" but it died, i think this one looks on its last legs also.
3) Unknown Tree 1 - http://i36.tinypic.com/2iu5ly9.jpg
4) Unknown Tree 2 - http://i34.tinypic.com/33etzlf.jpg
5) Unknown Tree 3 - http://i36.tinypic.com/15zqy54.jpg


Sorry Im a little wet behind the ears with this sort of stuff

CJhaughey

Probably better in the Gardening sub-forum.

Nonmonotonic

Firstly thats not a hedge you have, its a bank.

The relevance of the difference is that from your photo 2, I can see a large flat faced stone which suggests that this is the remains of a stone wall. The trees that are currently growing are doing so against the odds as suggested by the sickly nature of tree 1. These are native Irish trees best suited to our climate/soil i.e. tenacious. Sycamores will grow in drains and gutters but not too well! Just because they are growing does not mean they are 'happy campers' and to try and plant more trees maybe difficult and foolhardy.

I would suggest you investigate your bank further i.e. dig a part of it. Maybe It is mostly stone in which case it might be better to plant rockery type plants which would prefer these conditions. There is probably a lot ivy and briars that should be removed anyway.

I think tree 3 is a Wild Cherry.

Cuchulain

Many thanks for your reply. Im pretty sure that it wasnt a stone wall but the stones got pushed or dragged there as they were impeding tillage on the land. Its mostly clay though and the stones are few and far between.

I might leave the trees there to see what happens, tidy up all the dead wood, ivy debris to clear the ground and sow some beech/hornbeam saplings.
Does that seem feasible?

John mac

tree 2 looks like an Elm.