Hedge Trimming

Can I have your opinion on trimming this hedge please?

If I trimmed my hedge (the big one) to the same height of my neighbours shorter hedge will it be all brown and twiggy on the top for a while and then grow back? I'm pretty sure it will but don't want to ruin it.

How long will take to grow back/look good please?

 

Yes, you do have to keep up with the Jones's - your neighbours hedge looks very neat.
The usual procedure with privet is to cut back to 4" - 6" or so lower than you require the hedge to be, then the new growth can easily be trimmed to the desired height. If you cut now the top should green up nicely in about 8 weeks. It will look a bit odd at first but you will soon have a hedge to rival nextdoor !

a-a

 

Just what I wanted to hear! It's got ivy growing in it as well which is a pain, hoping it wont leave gaping gaps in the hedge. Thanks A-Team.

 

I wussed out in the end...

 

You need to pull out as much of the ivy as you can. This blocks light getting to the privet stems and will make the hedge look more bushy than it really is. You need to take a deep breath and tackle the problem asap. I left mine for years and managed to fill an entire wheely bin full of ivy and bramble that were growing through my privet. Left massive holes in the hedge, but I know it will recover from that quite quickly.

Privet is as hard as nails. I was scared that I would kill my hedge when I first cut it back but now its much more manageable for me. Now is the ideal time to lower it as the sun will reach the exposed stems and green it up more quickly. If you don't lower it eventually it will grow higher and higher, without you realising.

 

Thanks Jane, there's all sorted growing in it: Elder, Ivy, Holly and Bramble.

There is also some gaping holes where there isn't any plants at all growing??? Maybe because the large tree near it casts a lot of shade on it?

I'll start taking them out next weekend, should be fun! I've also been thinking of sowing some seed along the front of the hedge where there is a small strip of soil. Could do wildflowers or nasturiums maybe.

 

The Elder, Holly and Bramble are probably there due to the birds. I suspect it may be that part of the privet has died off. I've had this with mine and some of the established branches will just snap off quite easily, even though there is growth at the top. It's part of the rejuvenation of the hedge. I doubt it would be because of shade from a tree, part of my privet is in almost constant shade by the neighbour's leylandii and it's the healthiest it's ever been.

If you do take the bramble out wear some riggers gloves, rather than gardening gloves as the thorns will just go straight through them. Also cut right down to the base of the bramble at ground level, then get some spray on weedkiller and spray the plant, this should kill it more quickly. Pull out all the brambles you cut out as this will immediately let light into the hedge and thicken it up a bit.