August is a good time to trim your hedges and create a neat appearance for autumn and winter.

When of Hedge Trimming.

• When birds have flown their nests you can trim to your hearts content without disturbing the fledglings.
• Try to prune a wild life hedge only after the fruit have been eaten in late winter.
• Trimming in late summer leaves enough time for hedges to to put on a bit of new growth to cover ravaged twigs.
• Do not trim conifers later than August as they may go brown and unsightly.
• Prune flowering hedges straight after flowering.

The How of Hedge Trimming

• To achieve a flat top stretch taught string to provide a horizontal plumb line.
• To make a bend in the hedge use double stakes with the string as in the photograph.
• Trim a hedge from the bottom upwards so trimmings fall away.
• Use secateurs to tidy up after trimmers if they leave a mess.
• Beech, Privet, Holly and Hawthorn all recover from hard pruning. Conifers will not regrow from brown wood.

Flowering Hedges

• Camellia will form an evergreen barrier.
• Forsythia has brilliant yellow flowers in spring but works best in a mixed hedge.
• Berberis creates a dense, thorny  hedge with spring flowers  and autumn berries. Deciduous and evergreen varieties are available.
• Upright hardy varieties of Fuchsia can look good in a warm garden.
• Lavender’s fragrant flowers add to an informal low hedge.
• Informal hedges of large leaved Laurel are often found in old gardens