HEDGE TRIMMING

As our name suggests we offer a comprehensive range of hedgecutting services. We have cut every kind hedge imaginable and know how best to cut each different hedge type, and when. There are a huge range of hedge species in the UK. The most common are Leylandii, Privet, Yew, Photinia, Lawson Cypress, Beech, Hornbeam, Laurel, Hazel, Hawthorn and Pyracantha.

Each hedgerow species has its own individual leaf shape and flowering characteristics. A knowledge of what machine works best to cut the leaf and when to cut the hedge is really important. Some hedge types will tolerate a really hard prune such as Privet, Laurel, Photinia and Yew. Most types of conifer hedge types such as Leylandii and Lawson Cypress will not. If the sides of these hedges are pruned too hard, into the dormant growth they do a very bad job of recovering and producing fresh new leaf. So a knowledge of what can what can’t be done is vital. With nearly all hedge types a height reduction is no problem, whatever the severity its usually just the lateral width that may or may not be tolerant of a hard prune.

We have an arsenal of tools to cater to any hedge-cutting task. Some of our hedge cutters are specifically designed to cut fine or thin-leaf hedges and we have other machines that will grab and cut the broad-leafed hedges better. Having the right machine is really important to achieve a nice neat finish.

A common job we see is when customers have inherited a really overgrown hedgerow after purchasing a new house. We can advise how to prune, how long to expect to wait before it looks like a hedge again and then a maintenance program moving forward. Sometimes, the best option is complete removal of the hedge and the mechanical destruction of all the stumps and then a replant with a new hedgerow. This is common when the original hedge is of conifer type and can’t be pruned back hard on the sides.

Height reductions applied to conifer hedgerows (especially the dreaded Leylandii!) are very commonplace. The growth rate of Leylandii is amazing. So it’s no surprise that this type of hedge often requires a lot of height taken off it. Left un-managed it can quickly reach a height that blocks out natural light in your garden or your neighbour’s garden. It’s a very popular, effective screening plant that tolerates a wide range of soil types.

Laurel hedgerow pruning is very common also. Laurel loves chalky soil so it grows really well in lots of areas of Surrey. These plants can be pruned back to within an inch of their life!. It will look awful for a while but it will burst out into new leaves from bare stems with no problem at all.

We do lots and lots of hedgerow maintenance annually. Most customers will have us come in once a year to give their hedges a really good haircut. The busiest time of year for this regular trimming is towards the end of the growing season, around early October. The reason this is the busiest time is that if you wait till the end of the growing season to trim your hedges then they won’t put on any new growth until the spring so they remain nice and neat and tidy throughout the end of autumn, the whole of winter and the first stages of spring.

If you require an old hedgerow removal, new hedgerow planting, or just a really good seasonal trim we can cater to all.