We will maintain hedges in accordance with relevant wildlife legislation. This includes working within specific times and with necessary precautions (usually between October and February / March).
Winter shrub maintenance is carried out from October to March each season. Ad hoc maintenance is governed by growth, the weather etc. and certain legal restrictions.
We prune hedges in the autumn/winter season when most are dormant. Depending on the weather, they can grow, and this may not be in a form that is as shaped or controlled as it would be in an ornamental garden. Nature isn’t neat.
There are also many legal considerations about wildlife and permitted actions that restrict what can be done. We will not knowingly break the law no matter how much someone wants us to.
We can carry out minor pruning to shrubs and hedges in the summer, but this would be only for health and safety reasons. The reason for this is to prevent personal injury or a road traffic accident. When we are aware of such growth and where it poses a genuine risk (for example, seriously blocking footways or visibility around a corner when driving) we will assess and deal with it This does not guarantee work will be necessary but if it is, we would do what is required to minimise the risk. A photo would help assess this.
We do not cut private shrubs, trees, or hedges. We do not cut people’s hedges etc. around their properties unless they surround a block or similar shared space. Please approach Citizens Advice or an age-related charity for support if there are no family members or neighbours willing to help out. Lastly, if it helps, we are more than happy for people to cut the odd stem of a rogue bramble growing out of a hedge or shrub bed.