A GREEN group wants residents to stop sitting on the fence and plant a hedge.

People who have pre-ordered a discounted fruit tree from PeCAN have also been offered free hedging plants.

Buyers can collect both as part of a HedgeFest event at Petersfield Community Garden next Saturday, February 24.

The initiative is part of A Fruit Tree In Every Garden project to encourage East Hampshire residents to plant more foliage in support of wildlife, the local environment and the climate.

The native hedging mix will provide a diverse habitat, supporting a range of wildlife that feast on the fruits, seeds and nuts these plants will produce.

They also offer a natural foraging corridor for birds, insects and bats, providing shelter, and capture and store large amounts of carbon.

The RSBP says that healthy hedges provide food and nesting habitat for up to 80 per cent of our woodland birds.

Some 2.7km of hedging plants (funded by The Tree Council), and a record 1000 fruit trees (funded by EHDC), have been allocated by PeCAN this winter, with the second round available for collection on February 24.

The free event from 10.30am to 1.30pm will include free demonstrations on how to plant and care for hedging and how to sow wildflower seeds. Activities for children will also be provided, please park on Long Road if travelling by car.

The project is part of EHDC’s Grow Up Community Farm project and has received funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.