How low can you grow a Leylandii

I overheard my neighbour speaking to his son about our leylandii hedge (not the huge leylandii on our other side, that's a different story) and the fact he would like it lowered. They're currently 5 foot tall and quite healthy and he was speaking about taking 2 foot of height off them.

He's a nice elderly guy and thinks the hedge it too anti-social and wants them lowering. Fine by me but just wondering is there a height limit were leylandii could die off, I don't want this to happen to him really.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that they don't like being too small.

 

nFrost, if it's your hedge he isn't entitled to lop the tops off, only trim what's his side of the fence.

How close are they to yours and your neighbours house as they can do a lot of structural damage with their roots.

 

We had one in Buckinghamshire that was only about 40 meters in length total and three in height and it was a nightmare in my opinion, besides the fact I became allergic to it near the end of our life there and broke out in a rash every time I cut it and then had to get a professional in to do so which cost me about £100 in 2000.

I cannot imagine anyone wanting one ... but that is a personal opinion.

 

I'll have to post some pics for clarification, they are already quite established. Off the top of my head the main trunks are roughly 10cm across.

 

It will be the thickness of the hedge, 3 feet up from the ground (i.e. the point at which he wants to cut it) that will determine how well it will look afterwards. Ideally it won't be more than a foot thick, perhaps 18" would be OK, but I would be wary if it is any thicker than that. It will then need to grow up another, say, 6" to make a thick "top" and clipped at that point, so you might wind up cutting it back to 3' and then maintaining the top at 3' 6"

 

Indeed. I reckon that the new growth will "span" a foot width, what do you think?

 

Finally got some pics together:

 

Well I'd say the height isn't a problem at the moment, so I don't see why your neighbour wants to reduce them, other than to be nosey!

If they were in my garden I would dig them out, they are far to close to the houses and the roots do untold damage to drains and house footings. I know because I've been in this situation with a neighbours hedge twice! That hedge no longer exists, my neighbour kindly removed it. Although we managed to claim on insurance, the cost of repairs were over £5000.

 

I think the contrast of the two looks rather nice. Of course "close up" that may not be the case, but its an idea I may well re-use in the future