I tend to think of hedges as multipurpose. Acting as windbreaks is quite important, helping to conserve cereal crops; impenetrability controls livestock movement; bramble colonization provides prolific summer berries; year-round shelter provided to small birds and minor wildlife.At the risk of wandering a bit , I had a few random thought/questions :
1. The reason for their existence . Cheaper than board or stone options ?
Barbed wire wasn't widely available until the late 1800s.......
2. Are they the prevalent livestock containment method today ? (Obviously I'm talking about GB .)
Or has much of it been replaced with post& wire ?
3. Was live hedging ever common in the original American colonies ?
Sorry , my mind tends to fixate on a subject .
Simultaneous multifunctionality has a beauty of its own.