The phrase “between the hedges,” coined by Atlanta Journal sportswriter Grantland Rice, is synonymous with Georgia football.
Sanford Stadium’s privet hedges, which cover about 5,000 square feet around the playing field have survived disease, winter weather and more than one move.
The hedges are not just cosmetic there is a low chain-link fence running through the branches to aid in crowd control.
It didn’t help on Oct. 7, 2000, when Georgia fans destroyed the hedges as they stormed the field to celebrate Georgia’s first win over Tennessee since 1988.
Credit: Andrew Davis Tucker
Credit: Andrew Davis Tucker
The privet Ligustrum hedges were temporarily removed from the west and south sides of the field after the 2017 season — and were stored for months at secret locations — to accommodate a construction crane on the field, but they were replanted in their original positions in time for the 2018 G-Day game.
It is not the first time the hedges have been removed. They were moved out to make room for a soccer field during the 1996 Olympics and replanted before football season.
The hedges were less-than-lush for Georgia’s spring game after an aggressive pruning, but UGA officials expect them to be rejuvenated by the start of the 2018 season.
From 1929 to 2017, the Bulldogs are 346-106-9 between the hedges.
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