@richard_knights just wondering how this turned out for you? We have an inherited hedge owned by our neighbors that was never pruned on our side h so a similar situation, big dead patches and lots of old brown material caught up in it
Hi Mike, Well, I’ve had a year of procrastination and not much else. Realised the right thing to do is remove the trees and stumps completely (I’ve been quoted £900 for this); and relaxe with some senior mature Red Robin Photinias (which will cost about £1.5k). This will mean I have a good 14ft screen again in about 3 years. But the cost is putting me off!!
The alternative seems to be to put up a trellis and grow a vine or something around it; but that feels like a shortcut that will just look messy
Please let me know if you come up with a better option!
I think you will struggle to get much to grow in the space behind the fence tbh, its tricky growing under leylandii full stop, let alone with a fence blocking the light and water at the other side. No idea if bamboo would grow in that situation though.
I wouldnt get a tree surgeon in for that myself, Leylandii are tough as old boots, and a tree surgeon is likely to just cut out that dead wood and not much else (unless you want them topped or trimmed higher up that is).
If you took out the dead wood and did the same at the other side, effectively leaving just the trunks with the growth up top would you see the flats? if not then Id do that as a starting point so at least you dont have to look at dead brown growth, and to let some light in. Leylandii carry on growing fine like this (I know because my dad hated them and used to surreptitiously 'raise the crown' on the ones behind our house every year until the trunks were a good 5 metres above ground)
You could plant a couple of big old ramblers on this side of the fence (would need to remove some decking for a planting hole though so not sure if thats an option. Something like a rambling rector and a montana would soon scramble up into that)
Other than that I think you would be looking at big old pots with tall evergreens in.
What if you made a raised bed between the trees and the deck? Probably wouldn't harm the Laylandii in any way.. will bring the new plants closer to the sun, and will vastly improve the growing medium in the area. Put in a different variety of evergreens.. and they will soon grow to fit that space, and will look more natural.. like the trees grew there together.
That sounds like a better idea Blue Onion. I personally would not spend that sort of money on mature specimens as they may take a long time to 'take'. Once the secondary hedge has grown to a reasonable height, the leylandii can be taken down (or you can move!). It is unfortunately a long term project! PS. They do look huge! And £900 seems very cheap for the job.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
terrible photo, I never seem to be home during daylight anymore!! But we ended up massively reducing the height and cutting out the dead material. Looks ugly now but we're planning to grow bushes at the base (stepped out a bit so they catch some rain) and run some clematis Montana and climbing hydrangea up to the top "gap"
Hi just moved into a house that has a leylandii hedge at front. It's 50 years old and branches very tangled. We cut the outside part very tight half way up and now looks over unsitely. Was wondering did anyone have any success on this thread and what to do?
@alanmohallVrIrJkJY welcome but this thread 2 years old you would be better starting a new discussion along with a photo. Use the icon that looks like a mountain to upload
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Well, I’ve had a year of procrastination and not much else. Realised the right thing to do is remove the trees and stumps completely (I’ve been quoted £900 for this); and relaxe with some senior mature Red Robin Photinias (which will cost about £1.5k). This will mean I have a good 14ft screen again in about 3 years. But the cost is putting me off!!
The alternative seems to be to put up a trellis and grow a vine or something around it; but that feels like a shortcut that will just look messy
Please let me know if you come up with a better option!
I wouldnt get a tree surgeon in for that myself, Leylandii are tough as old boots, and a tree surgeon is likely to just cut out that dead wood and not much else (unless you want them topped or trimmed higher up that is).
If you took out the dead wood and did the same at the other side, effectively leaving just the trunks with the growth up top would you see the flats? if not then Id do that as a starting point so at least you dont have to look at dead brown growth, and to let some light in. Leylandii carry on growing fine like this (I know because my dad hated them and used to surreptitiously 'raise the crown' on the ones behind our house every year until the trunks were a good 5 metres above ground)
You could plant a couple of big old ramblers on this side of the fence (would need to remove some decking for a planting hole though so not sure if thats an option. Something like a rambling rector and a montana would soon scramble up into that)
Other than that I think you would be looking at big old pots with tall evergreens in.
PS. They do look huge! And £900 seems very cheap for the job.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...