Hedge cutting and reduction for Ross-on-Wye gardens, where sandstone slopes, terraces and steep drives make careful access and sensible planning just as important as the trimming itself.
Ross-on-Wye stands on a bluff above a bend in the river, and the town's gardens climb and fall with it. Terraces held by retaining walls, long steep drives and hedges on different levels are all part of the picture, and they change how hedge work is done. A hedge of only moderate length can take far longer than expected when every step has to be planned around the slope and the weather.
Our hedge maintenance in Ross-on-Wye is built around that. We look at the ground before we decide on equipment, and we think about how the waste will reach the van. Cutting and shaping is the easy part. Safe footing, a stable working platform and clean removal of cuttings are what make the job go smoothly. Where the ground is steep, we will say plainly what is and is not sensible.
Hedges on a bank are awkward because the cutter may be standing well below or above the top line. We choose between long-reach trimmers, ladders with a footing person, and low platforms depending on the angle. Where a hedge runs along the top of a retaining wall, we avoid leaning out over a drop, and sometimes tackle it from the lower garden instead. The cut is judged both from the top and from the foot of the slope, so the hedge looks level from the angle people actually see. If conditions are too wet or slippery, we may suggest a different day.
Sheltered valley sites let conifers grow quickly, and a screen that was shoulder height not long ago can soon be a thick, shady wall. We reduce in stages and keep to the live green, since Leylandii does not regrow from brown wood. Broadleaf hedges such as laurel, hawthorn and hazel take a harder cut and thicken again. On a sloping site, removing a very large hedge suddenly can also expose a bank and change drainage, so we sometimes suggest cutting it low but leaving the root and stem in place to hold the soil.
With terraced plots, a neighbour's hedge may sit at head height beside your path, and yours may overhang the garden below. A word beforehand helps everyone. We can work from either side where the owner agrees. Moving waste on a slope takes planning: we bag or chip on the level and carry it down to the vehicle, avoiding wheelbarrows on slippery steps where we can. We leave steps, paths and drives clear and check gutters below the hedge for debris before we go. It is a slow part of the job.
Ross-on-Wye is a Wye-valley market town on a sandstone bluff, with a high proportion of sloping and terraced plots, so we expect steps and awkward access. We cover the town and its surroundings, as well as Hereford, Ledbury and Gloucester. Please tell us when you call whether the hedge is above or below the house, how wide the path is and where we can park. That helps us bring the right equipment on the first visit and quote a fair figure for the work involved. We look at each property on its own merits.
We also take on hedge maintenance work in nearby Hereford, Ledbury, Gloucester.
“Jim and Dan did a brilliant job on my 90ft conifer. Its a lot safer now and I have more light in the garden...”
“The boys did an excellent job... pruned my trees back and remove one tree that had split...”
“The guys were prompt & proffesional removed an old ash for me thanks guys”
Usually, yes. We assess the drop and the footing and choose tools to suit, sometimes working from the lower level. If it cannot be done safely, we will explain why. We look at the footing, the height and what lies beneath before choosing a method, since a few minutes of checking prevents accidents.
It can. Roots help hold soil, so on steep ground we may cut the hedge low and leave the base in place. We will talk through the options first. Where a bank is steep or loose, a low cut with the base left alone is often the safer alternative to digging everything out.
We chip or bag it where we work, then carry it down in manageable loads. If the garden has no vehicle access, we plan extra time for this and mention it in the quote. If a vehicle cannot get near, expect a longer visit.
SPR Trees & Landscapes, 6 Rose Avenue, Worcester, WR4 9PY
Tell us what you need in Ross-on-Wye and we will get back to you, usually the same day.
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