Here’s our weekend… Partially entertaining at first then busy with a chainsaw on top of the hedge.
Here’s what I like to listen to whilst sitting on top of the cut off trunk 😉 …
Not a huge but quite overgrown leylandii hedge with narrow access to the back garden.
Hedge reduction and trim on both sides and top.
2 trailers worth of green waste.. there was a bit of a surprise when we started picking up cut,dead branches from inside it..
Turned out whoever trimmed that hedge in the past had tucked all the branches in the crown, so we had like double ther amount of waste to dispose off.
Nevertheless job done, client happy, even very happy..
Summer’s over but weather’s still very good and we’re certainly not slowing down!
In this garden we have:
Tidied up the borders, removed all the vegetation, roots, debris and old membrane. Layed down a new weed membrane and filled up these borders with beautiful white Cotswold stones.
Cut the hedges
Put up a new fence
All done in my favourite neighbourhood – Lower Earley / Reading.
Do you want to make sure your hedge is cut as it should be? Book a hedge cutting specialist @ Tidy Gardens
One simple thing when maintening your hedges as I mentioned some time earlier is a regular cut, but make sure you do it right !
It ain’t a rocket science, but so many people make that mistake.
Don’t cut your hedge in a reversed pyramid shape ! never.
Instead make a slight pyramid shape. That means cutting your hedge in a way that makes the bottom of it slightly wider than the top.
That will allow plenty of sun to get both to bottom and top of your hedge, making it all grow well from top to bottom.
Simples, right ? 😉
It was hot today, I did not take “before photos” sorry.
Here’s a couple of after photos.
Over the last few days we had great fun with some hedges. All of them overgrown and all of them conifers. Grow like mad so most probably leylandii hedges. 3 tall leylandii hedge reductions this week! How lucky we are 😮
Hedge reduction after photos below. Look at the amount of green waste these lovely plants deliver!
When it comes to hedge maintenance, regular hedge cutting / trimming is the single most important thing to do. Regular hedge trim will make your hedge compact and thick right from the bottom.
Why plant a hedge?
Hedge can be a perfect garden boundary, but the wrong one may give you troubles.
hedges provide shelter.
They dumpen noises, reduce strong winds
The obvious they give you privacy.
security but not all hedges. Thorny, prickly varieties like for example:
Common holly
Firethorn
Blackthorn
Barberry
Buckthorn
some hedging plants like photinia give you a beautiful seasonal change.
hedge supports wildlife. Birds love nesting in them as well as eating some berries.
unlike wooden fences, hedges won’t need replacing for many many years and they don’t require anything more than regular hedge cutting.
I can’t stress that too much.
Hedges need your commitment to regular hedge cutting / trimming.
All types of hedging need at least one hedge cut a year. Some varieties more than one.
A regular light prune is much better for you and your hedge then an occasional heavy cut.
Power tools do a quick job if done regularly. High and overgrown hedges often need costly specialist equipment or professional help
to get them back into shape.
You can avoid a lot of problems in future if you choose the right hedging plants for your boundary.
Hedge planting – the right choice.
The many benefits of growing hedges on your boundary depend on selecting the right plants for the situation. If you choose an unsuitable variety you could be faced with a range of problems, especially if the hedge grows too big. It will be difficult to trim and may cut out light to your garden or house.
Its roots could deprive other plants of water and nutrients, and even interfere with paths and buildings.
Oversize hedges will intrude on your garden space, and may cause problems with neighbours.
Oversize hedges can be costly and time consuming to cut back and most conifers, including Leyland and Lawson’s cypress, will not tolerate hard pruning.
If the hedge borders a road or path the local authority could get involved, and insist the hedge is cut back.
Luckily there is a wide range of plants available so it’s not difficult to achieve an attractive healthy hedge – one which will take only as much upkeep as you can manage, and create an attractive feature in your neighbourhood, not a bone of contention.
Growth rate
hedge cutting – how often
Size if unpruned
Foliage
Prickly?
Beech
xxx
Once
Large tree
D/LL
No
Berberis
xx
Once
Large shrub
E
Yes
Cherry laurel
xx
Once
Large shrub
E
No
Cotoneaster
xx
Once
Large shrub
E
No
Escallonia
xx
Twice
Large shrub
E
No
Firethorn
xx
Twice
Large shrub
E
Yes
Hawthorn
xxx
Twice
Small tree
D
Yes
Hazel
xxx
Once
Small tree
D
No
Holly
x
Once
Small tree
E
Yes
Hornbeam
xx
Once
Large tree
D/LL
No
Lawsons cypress
xx
Twice
Large tree
E Conifer
No
Leyland cypress
xxx
Twice
Large tree
E Conifer
No
Portugal laurel
x
Once
Large shrub
E
No
Privet
xx
Three
Large shrub
E
No
Rose
xx
Once
Large shrub
D
Yes
Western red cedar
xx
Twice
Large tree
E Conifer
No
Yew
x
Once
Large tree
E Conifer
No
Key:
Growth rate, for established plants
xxx – over 60cm/year
xx – 30-60cm/year
x – 15-30cm/year
Foliage:
D – deciduous
LL – dead leaves held in winter
E – evergreen
My favourite hedging plant has to be YEW ( taxus )
Classic choice but everlasting and makes an excellent hedge. Doesnt need that much hedge cutting either.
Tidy Gardens can trim/prune most of hedges, but if you are that lucky and have spectacular yew like on a picture above then DON’T call us. Call for a crane ! 🙂
Re felting shed Many thanks for a job well done and a fast reply sent a text on Sunday and job done on Monday afternoon thank you.
Mary McKinleyReading
Excellent work !!! Paul, Eddie and the lads are a really great team. We had a significant amount of work done in a short period. Their work rate was phenomenal. Precise work, tidy work, good communication, and a friendly team. Will be using again without a doubt.
jason seeReading
Alison, Reading, December 2013 My garden was in need of a lot of TLC.
I contacted Paul who arrived straight away and gave me a quote.
He arrived at the weekend in the rain and did a fantastic job of clearing weeds, cutting down dead trees, pruning roses, cutting back ivy and much more.
He completed the job, even e-mailed me with ideas of what to plant in the space I now had.
I would definitely recommend Paul. Thank you very much.
Alison JaegerReading
Simon An excellent job done to a very overgrown garden. Hedges cut, trees re-shaped and all cuttings removed. Reliable, punctual, friendly and polite. Come with my full recommendations. Thank you very much
Simon
Garden clearance and regular maintenance I discovered Paul only through his website and the many wonderful testimonials he has. Paul and his colleague came by to our house for a full garden clearance. We have a very large garden (front and back), and they worked tirelessly for over 5 hours. The garden is now beautiful, clean and tidy! Paul also seems to have extensive knowledge about plants, which is great! We have now booked Paul for our regular garden maintenance as well 🙂
Karthika VReading
Professional and Efficient Service Gate repair – December 2018
From start to finish this company was very professional. I even received a video of the job that had been completed. I would highly recommend them and will definitely be using them in the future for our customers.
Many Thanks
Holly GilborsonWren KitchensTilehurst
Great Job - Very good price for the hard work!
Paul came to give us a quote to clear and tidy up our garden. I could see that even through our messy garden, he could name the plants (invaded by the weeds!)
, but he could also tell us about various weeds, and what needed to be done (other gardeners did not have that approach unfortunately – showing your knowledge is key and this is the reason he got the job).
The garden is looking like I never seen it before. The house is ready to go on the market! Thank you Paul!
Denis PayenReading
Jon Morgan July 2023, Reading
Very efficient, reliable work. We would use Tidywork again.
Jon MorganReading
Garden work / Reading - review I would highly recommend TIdy Gardens for your gardening jobs. Paul provided a quote and carried out the work in an excellent manner. Tidy Gardens lives up to its name as there was no evidence of Paul being here apart from a super tidy garden. Our garden waste had to be carried through the house and there wasn’t a leaf or a speck of soil around when I got home. Also Paul didn’t just do what he quoted for. He went the extra mile. Look no further for your garden needs. Amanda Adkins
amanda adkinsReading
Fantastic!!! Highly recommend Thank you so much. I am over the moon with the sevice and professionalism from Paul at Tidy Gardens. The new fence has transformed my garden. Thank you 🙂
”
I’ll allow myself to include a couple of photos – before and after
Thank you for such a nice comment Danni
Paul
”
Few more photos here
Daniella GiamatteiReading
Amazing I was searching for someone to help get my garden ready for the summer and allow me a little more time to enjoy it! Upon meeting Paul for the initial quote, he was full of ideas and enthusiasm and to my surprise said he could start three days later.
Paul and his wing man turned up promptly in sub zero temperatures and worked with speed, focus and accuracy for two full days.
They re-did the entire rear fence, cleared substantial overgrown areas, removed one tree stump and one full tree w… Read more
Robin HarrisBurghfield
John October 2019
We asked Paul of Tidy Gardens to carry our some lawn levelling and turfing work following construction of a new patio. All work was carried out in a professional but friendly manner and to our satisfaction. We are very pleased with the result and would recommend the team to other clients.
JohnSonning
July 2018. One day major overhaul July 2018 – Paul and his team came for just one day to do a major overhaul in our large and very overgrown garden to prepare it for rental. They were extremely polite and efficient, and finished the whole front and back garden well within one day – it was an amazing transformation, they also took away all the green waste that was created that day. We were really impressed – so much so that we have asked him to quote for a fence renovation and even more clearance at the back of our garden. Many … Read more
Catherine and StuartCaversham
Benny April 2023, Lower Earley, Reading
Really impressed and happy with the very professional work Paul and David did at my back garden. The before and after look is simply incredible. They worked non-stop from arrival to the property until they left! Very highly recommended. Thank you!
BennyLower Earley
Personable and professional, April 2014 Excellent work at a competitive price.
Listened to what I needed doing and added his professional knowledge to make sure my Trees were not damaged. Friendly and quick. I would certainly recommend.
AllanReading
Garden Clearance and Stump Removal Paul and team worked very hard, were knowledgable, considerate and very tidy.
Garden cleared as promised and to a very good standard.
Will be getting the team back to do more!
GrantReading
Great service and good prices Paul and team did a great job in tidying the garden at our new house – cleared overgrown borders, removed ivy and vine from fences etc – we can now see the wood for the trees so to speak! They removed all waste and left garden looking a great deal better. Most companies didn’t even bother to reply to inquiries, Tidy Gardens was the only one who could do the work in a reasonable timescale. Will definitely use again.
Richard & Jenny EleyReading
May 2019. End of tenancy tidy up. May 2019
Am absolutely delight with the job Paul done. Was quick, efficient and tidy our garden for our end of tenancy contract. Thank you very Much.
May 2019. End of tenancy tidy up.READING
Reliable honest work !! I have used Paul’s professional services three times now for fencing, fence repairs and the laying of stepping stones.
I will be honest, I could have done all these jobs myself, but I simply value my free time to do other things.
I can only have Paul do these jobs for me because he is real value for money. His quotes are always honest and competitive.
He will always discuss your requirements and provide alternatives solutions if you want them.
He just turns up and gets on with the jo… Read more
Unusual garden service Paul provides an unusual service – he knows what he’s doing! He can identify and name most plants, especially the difference between weeds and perennials unlike several of his competitors in the area.
Added to that knowledge Paul and Radek provided a good service and created a very tidy garden in a few hours. Recommended.
