A well-kept hedge frames a garden like nothing else — and an overgrown one swallows light, crowds paths and only gets harder to bring back each year. We cut hedges of every size across the Rogate area, from a single garden privet to long runs of field boundary, working tidily and leaving nothing behind but a clean line.
What we cut
- Conifer and leylandii — kept dense and green with regular light trims; we’ll advise honestly if a neglected conifer hedge can’t be cut back hard without browning.
- Beech, hornbeam and hawthorn — classic West Sussex hedging, shaped for a crisp face and level top.
- Laurel, privet and box — cut cleanly to encourage tight, healthy regrowth.
- Mixed native hedgerows — managed sympathetically for wildlife as well as looks.
Every job includes clearing up: clippings raked, paths swept and green waste taken away or composted on site, whichever you prefer.
Height reductions and reshaping
If a hedge has got away from you, we can bring it back down in stages to a height you can live with, square up wandering faces and rebuild a flat, even top. For tall hedges we work safely from platforms and tripod ladders rather than leaning into the hedge.
When we cut
Timing matters. Most formal hedges look their best on one to three cuts a year between late spring and early autumn. Because wild birds nest between roughly March and August — and active nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act — we always check a hedge before cutting in season, and will happily schedule bigger reductions for autumn and winter when the risk has passed and the structure is easier to see.
One-off or on a schedule
Plenty of customers call us once a year for a single big tidy; plenty more have us back on a regular round so the hedge never gets to the hard-work stage. Either way you’ll get the same care — sharp blades, straight lines and a tidy finish.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a hedge be cut?
Formal evergreen hedges such as privet or box look best with two to three cuts through the growing season. Conifer hedges need at least one or two light trims a year to stay dense. Native mixed hedges are usually cut once, in late winter, which also suits the wildlife that lives in them.
Can you cut my hedge in summer?
Usually, yes — light maintenance trims are fine in summer provided the hedge is checked for active nests first, which we always do. We schedule major reductions outside the main nesting season.
How hard can a conifer hedge be cut back?
Leylandii and most conifers won’t regrow from old brown wood, so they can’t be reduced as aggressively as beech or laurel. We’ll tell you honestly what your hedge will tolerate before any work starts.
Do you take the clippings away?
Yes — clearing up is part of every job. We leave paths, lawns and borders as tidy as we found them.
Where we work: Rogate, Petersfield, Midhurst, Liss, Liphook, South Harting, Trotton, Stedham, Easebourne, Fernhurst, Chichester and the surrounding West Sussex and Hampshire border countryside.