Hedge Cutting & Topiary

Garden Management

Garden Management inevitability includes hedge cutting and topiary care, hedges are usually cut after birds have finished nesting in June and topiary is cut as required. Inspect hedges thoroughly before trimming to ensure there are no birds nesting within. It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.

Some type of hedges require cutting twice a year and others only once our care guide below shows the frequency and time of year to cut traditional and not so traditional types of hedging.

Yew

Taxus baccata: April – October, don’t cut in frost or freezing conditions, cut tightly for shape, Yew is very forgiving and will tolerate hard cutting.
Conifer

Leylandii: June – October, cut tightly for shape, but do not cut beyond the leaf, cutting into old wood will cause the hedge to die back in that area, and it will not recover.
Box

Buxus sempervirens: Cut Box twice a year from May – October, cut tightly for shape, Box or Buxus is very forgiving, but if the clippers are not sharp they will tear the leave which will cause the outer edge to go brown.
Laurel

Laurel or Prunus: Cut Laurel anytime of the year but not in lengthy wet conditions or freezing weather as this can promote disease. Cut Laurel with sharp clippers, to prevent browning of the leaves. Laurel is forgiving and can be cut back to the old wood to promote new growth.
Native Hedging

June – November, Native hedges will have the greater number of nesting birds and therefore cutting should commence after June. Cut top of the hedge tightly to promote a thicker hedge, cut the sides of the hedge as required. Some native species will contain wild roses, so choose your cutting time according to the species with the hedge.
Beech Hornbeam

Fagus sylvatica / Carpinus betulus: Beech and Hornbeam can be cut from June – October, being deciduous they can be cut tightly for shape and are very forgiving.
Holly

Ilex: Mature holly can be cut at any time of year in any weather condition even snow. Holly is a loose forming hedge and requires constant cutting to produce a dense shape. Remember the fruits, and do not cut when they are producing berries.
Lavender

Lavandula: September after flowering, cut flower stems off, try not to cut back into the wood as this will be detrimental to the plant.

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