Tree maintenance advice please

I've been looking about the Trees section of the forum and saw some good examples of people discussing how not to look after trees, it made me realise just how little I know.

I'm after some tips on saving my ailing hedgerow.

My hedgerow is not at all well. Before I took over my little plot of land, it had been neglected for many years. Many of the Hawthorn bushes grew into full size trees, but now don't look well. Some died and rotted where they stand.

My dad and I have started the process of attempting to resurrect it. This is what we've done so far:
* Ripped out as much of the bracken and nettles as possible without disturbing the Hawthorn roots.
* Lifted out the rotted trees (literally no effort required in most cases, they were that rotten)
* Cut all of the surviving trees down to about 3 or 4 ft high, making sure to leave any new side shoots alone, in the hope that the new side shoots will grow to replace the old top growth.

We did this a couple of weeks ago.

I've ordered 100 bare root trees (50 Crabapple and 50 Hazel) to go in the gaps.

Have we done the right thing? Is there anything else I need to bear in mind when doing the hedgerow?

Also, assume all goes well, between the established but ailing Hawthorn, and the new Crabapple and Hazels that are going in, how long am I looking at before I get something of a nice hedgerow back?

 

A bit late now but personaly id have laid it sticking in small side shoots as cuttings plus new hawthorn or a native hedging mix to bulk up any gaps, I never buy hazel as it takes so readily from cuttings pushed in.

 

We were going to try laying it (if that's the right term?) but much of it was too old and brittle so we decided to go for the severe hair cut approach. I hope it works out.