Hedge Trimming
Overgrown hedge blocking light, creeping over the path, or just looking shaggy? We trim, shape, and reduce hedges of every type, leaving crisp lines and clearing the clippings away so there's nothing left to deal with. NPTC-qualified, fully insured, across Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, with a free quote every time.
Typically From
£60
Hedge Trimming
Hedge trimming keeps your hedges neat, healthy, and the right size for your garden, whether that’s a quick tidy of a formal box hedge or taming an overgrown leylandii that’s taken over the boundary. At Silver Tree Services, our team trims, shapes, and reduces hedges of every type across Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, and we clear away every last clipping so you’re left with clean lines and a tidy garden, not a pile of greenery to shift yourself.
Regular trimming does more than keep a hedge looking smart. It encourages dense, healthy growth, keeps light and access where you want them, stops a hedge outgrowing its space, and keeps you on good terms with the neighbours. Leave a hedge too long and it can become bare, woody, and far harder (and more expensive) to bring back.
Hedges we trim
We work with all the common garden and boundary hedges, and we cut each one the way it should be cut:
- Leylandii and conifer hedges, including height reductions on hedges that have got away from you
- Privet, which is fast-growing and usually needs two or three cuts a season to stay sharp
- Beech and hornbeam, the classic Cotswold hedges that hold their copper leaves through winter
- Laurel, which we cut with care so the large leaves aren't left shredded and brown
- Box and yew formal hedges and topiary, trimmed to clean, even shapes
- Native and mixed hedgerows, kept stock-proof and tidy
Height reductions and overgrown hedges
If a hedge has grown too tall, we can reduce its height as well as trim the sides, bringing back light and a manageable shape. This is especially common with leylandii, which can reach huge heights if left unchecked. If a tall hedge is the subject of a neighbour dispute, the council can get involved under the high hedges rules (for evergreen hedges over two metres), so it’s worth keeping yours in check. Where a hedge is too far gone, we can talk you through cutting it back hard to regenerate, or removing it entirely and replanting, often alongside a wider landscaping refresh.
Timing and bird nesting season
The best time to trim depends on the hedge, but there’s one rule that applies to all of them: bird nesting season. It’s an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to disturb an active nest, and the main nesting season runs from 1 March to 31 August. We always check a hedge for active nests before starting, and we recommend booking major hedge work for the autumn and winter, after nesting season ends. Light maintenance trims can often still go ahead in summer once we’ve confirmed there are no nests.Anything that needs specialist work, such as larger tree jobs, stump grinding, or a new landscaping scheme, we can fold into the same arrangement rather than you sourcing a separate firm.
How we work
After a quick look or a free site visit, we’ll quote the job, then cut the hedge to a clean, even shape using the right tool for the species, collect every clipping, and leave the area tidy. The green waste doesn’t go to landfill: as an ISO 14001 certified company, we recycle it into woodchip, mulch, or compost. If your hedges are part of a larger garden you’d rather not think about, we can fold regular hedge trimming into ongoing grounds maintenance, and our in-house tree surgery team is on hand for anything taller or more technical.
Regular trimming does more than keep a hedge looking smart. It encourages dense, healthy growth, keeps light and access where you want them, stops a hedge outgrowing its space, and keeps you on good terms with the neighbours. Leave a hedge too long and it can become bare, woody, and far harder (and more expensive) to bring back.
Why choose Silver Tree Services
Silver Tree Services is an established tree surgery, landscaping, and grounds maintenance company based in Shurdington, Cheltenham, with over 20 years of trading and 30-plus qualified staff across seven specialist teams. We hold ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, are an Arboricultural Association ARB Approved Contractor, and are fully insured for public and employers’ liability. The same care and standards we bring to commercial clients like the NHS, Gloucestershire Police, and Stroud District Council go into every garden hedge.
Areas we cover
We trim hedges across the whole of Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cirencester, and the Cotswold towns, as well as cities such as Bristol, Bath, and Swindon. If you’re not sure whether we reach you, just ask.
Guide prices
Hedge trimming is priced by the size and length of the hedge, its height, and how overgrown it is, so a small front-garden hedge is a quick, low-cost job while a long or very tall hedge takes longer. Every quote is free and given after we’ve seen the hedge, with no obligation.
How it works
Step One
The Quote
Free, no-obligation and usually within the week. We come and look — no guessing over the phone.
Step Two
Survey & Plan
Qualified assessment, method statement and any TPO or BS5837 checks before a saw is started.
Step Three
On The Tools
Accredited crews, the right kit for the job, and your site kept safe and tidy throughout.
Step Four
Cleared & Signed Off
Chipped, cleared, photographed and certified. You get the paperwork, not just a tidy garden.
Good Questions
When is the best time to trim a hedge?
It depends on the hedge, but most formal hedges are best trimmed in late spring and again in late summer, while fast growers like privet may need two or three cuts across the season. The one fixed rule is bird nesting season: it’s an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to disturb an active nest, and the main season runs from 1 March to 31 August, so major hedge work is best booked for autumn or winter. Silver Tree Services checks every hedge for active nests before starting and will advise on the right timing for your particular hedge.
How often should hedges be trimmed?
Most formal hedges need trimming two to three times a year to stay sharp, while informal or native hedges are usually fine with one cut a year. Fast-growing species such as privet and leylandii are at the higher end, and slower hedges like yew can need less. Silver Tree Services can trim your hedges on a one-off basis or as part of a regular schedule across Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, so they never get the chance to become overgrown.
Can you reduce the height of a tall or overgrown hedge?
Yes. As well as trimming the sides, we can reduce the height of a hedge to bring back light and a manageable shape, which is one of the most common requests we get for overgrown leylandii. How hard a hedge can be cut back depends on the species, since some regenerate well from old wood and others don’t, so we’ll advise on the best approach. Silver Tree Services handles everything from a modest reduction to cutting a badly overgrown hedge right back, and can remove and replant where a hedge is beyond saving.
Do you take the clippings away?
Yes, clearing up is included as standard. We collect every clipping and leave the area tidy, so you’re not left with a pile of greenery to deal with. As an ISO 14001 certified company, Silver Tree Services recycles the green waste into woodchip, mulch, or compost rather than sending it to landfill. If you’d rather keep the chippings for your own use, just let us know.
What if there are birds nesting in my hedge?
If we find an active nest, we won’t cut that section until the birds have finished and fledged, because disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. We always check before we start, and during nesting season (1 March to 31 August) we can often still carry out light maintenance once we’ve confirmed an area is clear. For bigger jobs, Silver Tree Services will usually recommend booking them in for after nesting season.
How much does hedge trimming cost?
Hedge trimming is priced by the length and height of the hedge and how overgrown it is, so a short, well-kept hedge is a quick and inexpensive job, while a long or very tall hedge or a major height reduction takes longer and costs more. Silver Tree Services gives a free written quote after seeing the hedge, across Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, with no obligation.
Ready When You Are
Crisp lines,
clippings gone.
Book a free site visit and we’ll trim your hedges into shape, clear away every bit of green waste, and leave the garden tidy. Honest written quote, usually within the week.
Or call · 01242 472560