Hedge taking over garden....help!!

[speshfesh]

Hi all,

Anyone got any ideas on how to tackle this (see images)? I need to put in a boundary fence this summer and I think this will need more than a quick strim!

Can anyone suggest the best method/tool to cut this back?

Thanks.
View media item 11286 View media item 11284

 

[Symptoms]

spesh - what sort of boundary fence do you intent erecting - timber posts & panels (solid), ranch type, wire on posts, etc., etc., etc? Let us know the purpose of the fence.

If the proposed fence is just to keep the dog from roaming consider strimming back a bit, drive in some chestnut stakes then fix chestnut palings, or stakes and galvanised deer fencing. Then let that great looking hedge grow back and through the fencing ... I bet it's a dream habitat for wildlife currently so why wreck it (I'm always on a mission to promote wildlife habitat)?

Oh, and don't hack it back yet 'cos you'll disturb the nesting birds.

 

[speshfesh]

Thanks for the reply, I hadn't thought too much about fence style to be honest but I did ponder on whether I actually need one with this hedge 'tidied' up.

Our garden is definitely a haven for wildlife, etc. Problem is, the garden is only around 12ft wide and this hedge has already taken up 4ft of that!

I really need to get it trimmed.

On the nesting question, how long should I hold off? Also, best way to tackle the trim?

Like the idea of the chestnut stakes and pailings.

Thanks again.

 

[Symptoms]

spesh - nests? Observation is the answer (look in the hedge now for nests to see if you have any, and looking at your growth I'd be suprised if you didn't) but general rule of thumb is they'll finish nesting late Summer.

Use a hedge trimmer, electric or petrol both cheap enough to buy (or hire), or hedge shears (the sort of thing our Grandads used - alot of arm ache). Strimmers hack and IMO leave a messy result.