Whips

We planted two hundred beech whips in Barntown last week.

Why are they called whips?

They’re called whips because they look like… well, whips.

In nursery-speak, a whip is a young tree—usually one or two years old—with a single, slender stem and little or no branching. Long, flexible, and straight, it has more in common with a riding crop than a “tree” as we imagine it.

The name stuck because:

  • they’re thin and pliable
  • they bend without breaking
  • they’re ideal for hedging and training

Given time, soil, and patience, today’s whip becomes tomorrow’s hedge. A good lesson, really—start simple, grow strong.


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Author: Pádraig

Healthy mind in a healthy body. Garden, bike, jog and swim. The magic bullet is writing about it all so when I'm eighty-something I can read back about the days I'll have forgotten.

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