From cutting to Green Living Fence, two years of care and craftsmanship

Day 1

The beginning: by hand, one at a time

.

Every Green Living Fence doesn’t start life as a plant, but as a cutting. Our people place each cutting into its own pot by hand, precision work a machine simply can’t do with the same care. It’s the first of thousands of actions that will shape the next two years.

And behind every one of those actions are people. Much of this work takes place in our social enterprise program, where 250 coworkers work with care and attention on our hedges. So it’s not just something beautiful that grows in the pot, something valuable grows through the people working on it, too.

Growing Season 1

A full growing season to become a runner

.

Beneath the soil, the first roots search for a foothold, while the cutting slowly develops into a runner. This first growing season can’t be rushed: only once a runner is about 24 inches (60cm) long is it ready for the next step.

And we grow it as sustainably as possible. With care for people, plants and the environment, we cultivate our plants responsibly, so that not only the end product is green, but the journey to get there as well.

After Season 1

Planted into the frame, rooted in coir

.

Once the runners are long enough, we plant them into the frame that will later determine the shape of the fence, rooted in Kokosplano, a biodegradable coir fiber tray.

Around 65 runners eventually grow together to form one dense screen. From this point on, the Green Living Fence really starts to take shape. The runners continue growing through the frame, moving closer together.

The coir fiber provides a natural base for the roots and can later go straight into the ground with the plant. This disturbs the roots as little as possible, allowing the Green Living Fence to keep growing once it’s in its new position.

Year 1-2

Growing at the pace of the seasons

.

In our greenhouse, the Green Living Fences are given time to keep growing, without heating and without additional lighting. They grow with the natural light and temperature of the season. A deliberate choice, so we never artificially speed up the growing process.

Meanwhile, the Green Living Fences are carefully tended and guided by our coworkers in the social enterprise program. They make sure the runners develop well through the frame and grow ever closer together. This way, each Green Living Fence gradually takes on its final form naturally, with the help of many hands.

Every few weeks

Training, pruning and careful care

.

As the runners continue to grow, our coworkers retrain them through the frame every few weeks. Each Green Living Fence is also pruned 6 to 10 times during the growing process, so the runners spread out evenly and grow together into a strong, full screen.

With every pruning session, the Green Living Fence takes on more of its final shape. Wherever possible, we choose natural methods of care. We work according to the guidelines of On the Way to PlanetProof, with attention to people, animals and the environment.

After 2 Years

Ready to deliver, all year round

.

After almost two years of growing, training, pruning and care, the Green Living Fence is ready. The many runners have grown together into one strong, dense whole, with a well-developed root system.

This means the Green Living Fence can be planted all year round, providing a mature, green screen from the very first moment. Two years of care and craftsmanship, ready to keep growing in its new home.