Hedge Laying and habitat gardening

WELCOME

Septimus Works is a hedge laying and habitat gardening business working predominantly in London. Public and private parks, gardens, and nature spaces are a speciality. We lead woodland skills programmes for gardeners, contractors, and all-age volunteer groups.

Septimus Works is a member of the National Hedge Laying Society and the South of England Hedge Laying Society.

Please be in touch if you’d like. Initial consultations are free of charge.

Contact 07974 357 237 or robert@septimusworks.com

ABOUT

Master hedge layer Robert Cole leaning on a tree stump.

Septimus Works is a small business led by Robert Cole working alongside sub-contractors, apprentices, and, or volunteers. Robert trained to professional hedge laying standards. He likes to give priority to create habitats – that is, outdoor spaces for people to share with wildlife. With reuse and recycling, he reduces energy use while minimising materials and waste-disposal costs.

Hand tools are preferred. Where machinery is necessary, low-noise, low-emission electric tools are usually used. Robert Cole is LANTRA-certified for chainsaw maintenance; cross cutting; and felling and processing trees up to 380mm in diameter. He has expertise in greenwood work, coppicing, and lime-mortar brick repair. He is fully insured with Direct Line and has DBS accreditation.

Robert has been laying hedges for 20-odd years. At first it was a hobby. Robert is now expert, notably in the South of England and Midland styles. He says:

“Low-impact habitat hedging can be economically attractive as well as realistically practical and environmentally useful.”

Previously, Robert was a staff journalist for The Times, Reuters, The Evening Standard and The Independent. He still writes as a journalist, for commercial clients, and on creative projects.