Oh, thanks for that! Yes, a rose and most likely rugosa. She put her back into it, didn't she? No damage done, no, and it will look lovely next summer. Weeds out though.
Sorry about the rubbish pics, I was trying not to get too muc of the neighbours house or garden in the picture as I don't want any reason to fall out at all! I like a peaceful existence and don't want any bad feelings being chucked about. However, I also want our hedge back! It shouldn't have been blocking any light as it's a decent distance away from the windows, all she has gained is a jolly good view of our garden and passers by have gained a great view of us sitting on the sofa!
So if it is the Rosa Rugosa how long will it take to be the same size as the front one again? Does it really need cutting in half every year or would a more moderate trim have done the job?
Ah thanks Dovefromabove, much better! So it was the thing to do then? I did pull the weeds out when we moved in but since it's been cut in half I've been reluctant to take any more thickness away from it!!
For a rosa rugosa that's a light trim - by midsummer it'll be twice the size and three times as glorious. I'd have cut it back by double that.
What you're missing is probably the green of the leaves, but rosa is deciduous, it won't have leaves on in the winter. I promise you, it'll be fine.
Great for wildlife too - a million times better than a boring Leylandii.
Hang some birdfeeders from the twigs and you'll be able to watch the small garden birds popping in and out of the hedge all winter, safe from any marauding sparrowhawks. Fantastic!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Generally speaking, the more you cut a plant down, the more it tries to grow back to where it was. If you just tinker around with roses they just make little sprouty shoots at the top. So your rose is now going to be saying to itself "hang on, I should be 6 feet tall" and it's going to try to get there next year. Rugosa roses can easily put on 3 feet a year if they feel like it.
Now that it's had a good shock it won't need another one next autumn but it will needto be kept a nice shape. Your neighbour clearly has the idea that this is her job. She is going to need to be put straight on that and watched like a hawk for ever more. Snipping is a habit that some people just can't stop themselves from doing.
Looks like they did a good job of it. How big is you're "green bin" to take that lot away? Did she burn it all? It is not a hedge as such, will never been green all year round. 6 months of the twiggy look and 6 months looking lush.
If you want the 'hedge' to thicken up at the base, in a couple of years' time I'd take some of the oldest stems out down near ground level. The bushes will then grow new shoots from the base. If you remove a few each winter that will keep the hedge young and fresh and thick and stop it getting straggly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Haha thanks everyone, I'm pleased to hear that it should look just as good again next year and as soon as I get a chance I'm going to pull the weeds out! Thanks a lot for your advice garden experts!
Posts
Oh, thanks for that! Yes, a rose and most likely rugosa. She put her back into it, didn't she? No damage done, no, and it will look lovely next summer. Weeds out though.
Sorry about the rubbish pics, I was trying not to get too muc of the neighbours house or garden in the picture as I don't want any reason to fall out at all! I like a peaceful existence and don't want any bad feelings being chucked about. However, I also want our hedge back! It shouldn't have been blocking any light as it's a decent distance away from the windows, all she has gained is a jolly good view of our garden and passers by have gained a great view of us sitting on the sofa!
So if it is the Rosa Rugosa how long will it take to be the same size as the front one again? Does it really need cutting in half every year or would a more moderate trim have done the job?
Thanks for all of your replies by the way
Ah thanks Dovefromabove, much better! So it was the thing to do then? I did pull the weeds out when we moved in but since it's been cut in half I've been reluctant to take any more thickness away from it!!
For a rosa rugosa that's a light trim - by midsummer it'll be twice the size and three times as glorious. I'd have cut it back by double that.
What you're missing is probably the green of the leaves, but rosa is deciduous, it won't have leaves on in the winter. I promise you, it'll be fine.
Great for wildlife too - a million times better than a boring Leylandii.
Hang some birdfeeders from the twigs and you'll be able to watch the small garden birds popping in and out of the hedge all winter, safe from any marauding sparrowhawks. Fantastic!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Generally speaking, the more you cut a plant down, the more it tries to grow back to where it was. If you just tinker around with roses they just make little sprouty shoots at the top. So your rose is now going to be saying to itself "hang on, I should be 6 feet tall" and it's going to try to get there next year. Rugosa roses can easily put on 3 feet a year if they feel like it.
Now that it's had a good shock it won't need another one next autumn but it will needto be kept a nice shape. Your neighbour clearly has the idea that this is her job. She is going to need to be put straight on that and watched like a hawk for ever more. Snipping is a habit that some people just can't stop themselves from doing.
As I suggested, ask her to show you how to do it next year, then take over , making clear that from then onwards it's Your Job
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Looks like they did a good job of it. How big is you're "green bin" to take that lot away? Did she burn it all? It is not a hedge as such, will never been green all year round. 6 months of the twiggy look and 6 months looking lush.
If you want the 'hedge' to thicken up at the base, in a couple of years' time I'd take some of the oldest stems out down near ground level. The bushes will then grow new shoots from the base. If you remove a few each winter that will keep the hedge young and fresh and thick and stop it getting straggly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Haha
thanks everyone, I'm pleased to hear that it should look just as good again next year and as soon as I get a chance I'm going to pull the weeds out! Thanks a lot for your advice garden experts! 
