Well-kept hedges frame a garden, give privacy and shelter wildlife – but only if they are cut properly and at the right time. Eastern Tree & Garden Specialists provides professional hedge cutting and hedge trimming in Newmarket, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, from small formal box hedges to tall leylandii screens and long rural hedgerows.
Our hedge cutting services
- Regular trimming and shaping – crisp, even faces and tops for box, yew, privet, laurel, beech and hornbeam hedges.
- Height reduction – bringing overgrown leylandii, conifer and laurel hedges back to a manageable height without leaving them bare.
- Hard renovation – staged cutting back of neglected hedges so they thicken up again rather than dying off.
- Boundary and roadside hedges – clearing overhang from pavements, driveways, paddock rails and sightlines.
- Mixed native hedgerows – sympathetic cutting that keeps the hedge dense for nesting birds and hedgehogs.
- Full clear-up – all clippings chipped and removed, leaving the garden tidy.
Why hedge cutting matters
A hedge that is only cut occasionally gets taller, wider and thinner at the base every year, until the only options are drastic. Trimming once or twice a season keeps growth tight, holds the shape you want and stops leylandii in particular from becoming an expensive problem. Rushed cutting leaves the “scalped”, brown-patched look you often see after a cheap job; we cut to the growth pattern of each species so the hedge stays green and even.
When to cut hedges
Most formal hedges are best trimmed in late spring and again in late summer. Conifers such as leylandii should be cut between April and August while they are actively growing, and never below the green growth. We avoid cutting during the main bird-nesting season (March to August) where birds are present, and we will always check a hedge before we start. If you are unsure what your hedge needs, ask us – advice is free.
Hedges near horses, roads and neighbours
Around Newmarket many hedges border paddocks, gallops and busy lanes. We plan each job so cuttings never end up where horses graze (yew and laurel clippings are toxic to livestock), keep pavements and roads clear while we work, and are used to dealing sensibly with hedges on shared boundaries. If a hedge has outgrown its space altogether, we can also advise on replacement planting.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a hedge be cut?
Formal hedges usually need two cuts a year; fast growers like leylandii and privet may need three. Slow species such as yew are fine with one late-summer cut.
Can you reduce the height of a leylandii hedge?
Yes. Leylandii can be reduced in height while there is green growth to cut back to, but it will not regrow from bare wood, so we plan reductions in stages where needed.
Do you take the clippings away?
Always. Everything is chipped and removed as part of the job unless you would like the chippings left as mulch.
Is hedge cutting covered by your insurance?
Yes – all our work is carried out by NPTC-certified operators and is fully insured.
For neat, healthy hedges in Newmarket and the surrounding villages, get in touch. Call 07783 360552 or request a free quote online.
