McHale GardensFrom a neat trim that keeps a hedge in shape to a heavier reduction that takes it back down to size. Tall hedges too: we use a long-reach cutter.
What's included
- Cutting the sides and top to a neat finish
- Tall hedges cut with our long-reach cutter
- A check for active birds' nests before we start
- Cuttings chipped as mulch for your borders, bagged for your garden waste bin, or taken away
- Paths and lawns cleared of clippings before we leave
Trim or reduction?
Maintenance trim
Takes off the new growth and keeps the hedge at its current size and shape. Quicker, and much less waste.
Reduction
Cuts the hedge back harder, to bring down the height or pull it back from a path, drive or boundary. Takes longer and makes more waste. Winter is the best time for it.
Not sure which you need? Tell us roughly how tall and long the hedge is and what you'd like, and we'll include it in your estimate.
When to cut
Autumn is the main hedge season, and winter is the best time for hard reductions.
Bird nesting season runs roughly from March to August. We check hedges for active nests before cutting, and any section with an active nest is left. It's an offence to damage or destroy a nest that's in use, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
How it's priced
- Labour at £28 per person per hour, the same rate as all our work. We're not VAT registered, so there's no VAT to add.
- Bookings start at 4 hours. For a short hedge, we'll combine it with a tidy-up or other jobs so you get the most from the visit.
- Our small wood chipper turns cuttings into mulch for your borders, or we can bag them for your garden waste bin. Either way saves on tip runs.
- If you'd rather we take everything away, tip runs are £20 each plus the disposal site's fees, charged at cost.
- You'll get a free estimate before any work starts, with everything listed.
What affects the time
- Height: taller hedges take longer, even with the long-reach cutter.
- Length, and whether we're cutting both sides and the top.
- A trim or a reduction: reductions take much longer and make far more waste.
- The type of hedge: large-leaved hedges like laurel take longer to cut neatly.
- Access to both sides. If the far side is a neighbour's, we'll need their permission to work from there.
- How much clearing up there is, and where the cuttings are going.
Hedge trimming questions
Can you cut really tall hedges?
We cut tall hedges with our long-reach cutter. Tell us roughly how tall yours is when you get in touch, so we can plan the job.
Can you cut my hedge in spring or summer?
Nesting season runs roughly from March to August. We check for active nests before cutting, and any section with an active nest is left. Autumn is the main hedge season, and winter is best for hard reductions.
What happens to the cuttings?
We can chip them as mulch for your borders or bag them for your garden waste bin, which saves on tip runs. Or we can take them away: tip runs are £20 each plus the disposal site's fees, charged at cost.
Do you do tree work?
No. We don't do tree work, felling or stump grinding. See what we don't do.