The problem
A long boundary hedge ran the full length of a flint-and-brick wall on a clifftop property in Kingsdown. It had been left for a couple of seasons and it showed. The top had spread outwards over the wall, the growth had gone thick and woody, and the whole run was standing high enough to block the view of the sea from the garden.
Hedges by the coast take a beating from wind and salt, and they tend to respond by growing dense and untidy rather than dying back. Left alone, they get heavier every year, which makes each cut harder than the last.
What we did
We started at the house end and worked along the wall, taking the sides back to the line of the wall first so the hedge stopped overhanging it, then bringing the top down to a flat, even level. Working in one direction like this keeps the line consistent over a long run, rather than ending up with a step where two sections meet.
The cutting itself was done with sharp blades, which matters on thick growth. Clean cuts heal faster and leave a better finish than torn ones. Early October is a sensible window for a job like this, as the main bird nesting season is over and the hedge has a few weeks to settle before winter.
Clippings from a cut this size add up quickly, so we bagged and cleared as we went, and went back to finish the tidy-up rather than leave piles on the lawn.
The result
The hedge now sits level along the whole wall, the stonework is visible again, and from the lawn you can see straight over the top to the sea. It will be easy to keep tidy from here with a regular trim, rather than another rescue job in two years.
Got a hedge that has got away from you?
Overgrown hedges are our favourite kind of job. We give a fixed quote with no hidden extras, and if you are not happy, it is free. Pensioners get 5% off. We cover Sandwich, Deal, Worth, Ash, Woodnesborough, Eastry and the villages around them.
Call 07763 100477 or email hello@sandwichhedges.co.uk for a quote.
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Sandwich Hedges, two lads and a dad covering East Kent.