Cutting back my hedge

We have one of those evergreen hedges between us and next door. It is like a box hedge, but isn't, if you know what I mean. They are everywhere, but i am not sure what they are called. Pretty generic hedging!

What I want to know is this. When people cut them back severely they go a bit twiggy. Will the hedge grow back and cover that?

When the new neighbours moved in (not gardeners!) they cut it right back to bare wood, and consequently our side, which we cut into a nice round shape, os now slightly leaning over, and in the snow I thought it was going to snap!

I am just worried that if we do cut it right back we will end up with a twiggy hedge which will end up being see through.

Can anyone help? (If anyone understands my rambling post!) :hehe:

 

good luck with this victoria who does the hedge belong to? you or neighbour - i dont know how to deal with your hedge (i have a beech i trim twice a year) but i would just say the birds are looking for nesting places so i think you will need to either act fast or wait til the birds have flown their nests

loopy

 

hmmm... The hedge is ours and we love it, so do the birds. I'm just worried that it is uneven and therefore tipping slightly.

I wish I could tell you what type of hedge it is - but I'm not sure. I've even googled it and only thing that looks the same is box. I thought box was very expensive. It is has small dark green leaves on long stalks, which poke out when it needs cutting.

 

Victoria

As I understand the problem, your new neighbour has cut the hedge back so hard on their side that you can't do the same on your side without making it transparent?

However, it's possible that your neighbours' actions will stimulate the hedge to grow even more vigorously on their side! (can't be sure without knowing the type). I think all you can do is cut it back a little after the nesting season is over and see how far you can go without destroying the whole purpose of the hedge.

I've never known an establshed hedge actually fall over because it was cut back unevely,

 

This looks like it - and this is what I'm afraid of

 

I have found it - I think it's lonicera nitilda



picture courtesy of Hedges Direct

 

Sounds like i might be ok then. Has anyone got experience of this hedge?

 

Brilliant Marley, thank you! I will trim back and feed. I have read while trying to identify the hedge, that hedges should be cut back so they are slightly thicker at the bottom, and slightly sloping in at the top. Is this to help light get to the leaves at the bottom of the hedge?