The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

where has all the privet gone?

15 comments


with apologies to whoever it was who sang the song… gone to the tip!

The Hedge yesterday. At least the previous owners had tidied it up before handing over the keys. I put the bin so that you could see just how high it was.

a few hours work (oops who left that finger in front of the camera!).

The chappy at B&Q said don’t bother with a hedgetrimmer or a chainsaw – a bowsaw would do the job just as easily. HA! took me two hours yesterday to clear about a foot in length, broke a pair of secateurs in the process, cutting the fine stuff. Took one load to the tip (recycling centre) and got back just as the heavens opened – thunder and lightening like some divine retribution for chopping down the hedge.

I set to today with a long reach lopper and had it down in just under two hours. 4 more trips to the tip and then the rain came again.

It may not be the tidiest trim but I can do that during the week. You can see just how little green there is, in comparison with the amount of wood.

Quick update…
As of 26 April. Chopped right down in Feb and sprouting again…

More blog posts by urbanite

Previous post: look what I've got!

Next post: Two turtle doves...



Comments

 

Gosh that was some height that hedge well out of control .

It must have been so dark in the house .

Well done you .

21 Oct, 2013

 

Now! That looks much better and is at the right height to give you privacy and light into your home. Well Done :)

Why did the previous owners want it so high? I would have hated looking at that block from my window instead of seeing the outside world walking by...hmmm!

21 Oct, 2013

 

that may well green up nicely for you. there also seems to be some nice rope edged tiles down there too.
I have a soft spot for them, I was given a load and I 've used them all over the garden.

21 Oct, 2013

 

That was TALL wasn't it ! It must be much lighter in your house now ... and it will probably regrow nicely in the spring, and then you can keep it the height you want :o)

22 Oct, 2013

 

rope edge is very nice - i might have to move them to the safety of the back yard. i cut out some of the bare stems this morning in between the 'showers'. Most of the hedges round here are this high - i don't understand why, unless it's due to landlords only trimming them once when the students leave in summer. they're mostly well trimmed but very high.
Sledge hammer to the raised beds next weekend!

22 Oct, 2013

 

Your house reminds me of the house my aunt lived in,
both back and front, she allowed her front hedge to grow very tall then went upstairs to the bedroom if she wanted to see what was happening outside, lol, she grew marvellous Dahlias in her little back yard even though the garden was mainly ash tipped over the garden during her years of living there, over 50yrs worth....
Good luck with the hammer......

26 Oct, 2013

 

We put a privet in, then ten years later, decided to take it out all together, best thing we ever did, it took up so much room, and took all the goodness out of the soil, did a blog about it, if your interested...

23 Nov, 2013

 

Just come across this - is the hedge greening up now?

24 Apr, 2014

 

I chopped it down even lower (to about 6-9 inches) to what appeared to be just the old trunks and yep - it's sprouting! If there are no cars about tomorrow I'll take a pic. At least it will only be a little hedge not the monster that it was (and the bank balance won't stretch to railings just yet)

24 Apr, 2014

 

Oh yes please do.....

25 Apr, 2014

 

Its indestructible stuff!

25 Apr, 2014

 

Current pic added above. I wish I'd taken a pic when the daffs were in flower. Looks like only one of the cyclamen I planted survived being covered in rubble by the builders but I'm hoping they'll come up later in the year.

26 Apr, 2014

 

Wow that is what I call a prune.......do keep us posted would love to see future photos.....

26 Apr, 2014

 

And now we can see your nice rope edging too.

26 Apr, 2014

Add a comment

Recent posts by urbanite

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Mar, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Sep, 2008