Hedges are commonplace in yards as they provide beauty, and privacy, and can be beacons for wildlife. Whether you have a deciduous or evergreen hedge, annual pruning keeps them healthy and looking their best. As a former professional gardener, I have done a lot of hedge trimming - so I put together this guide to help anyone discover how to prune hedges successfully.
I spent many months a year pruning hedges working as a gardener for the National Trust in the UK. At Hidcote Manor Garden there were several miles of large-scale hedges to cut and the hedge cutting season for the gardens team lasted around six months. At Hanbury Hall, there were many low box hedges in the formal gardens, along with large deciduous and evergreen hedges cut once or twice a year. The standards for hedge cutting were very high at both places, as the gardens were enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
