The Annual Holly Hedge Trim

We shouldn’t complain about this prickly annual job really, as the largest circumference of the garden is walled. But cutting the 80ft long 8ft high holly hedge isn’t our favourite gardening job!

It’s supposed to be cut in November. But these days the weather just isn’t cold enough, to cause the perennials planted under the hedge to die back. Meaning we only have a small window of opportunity, between the perennials dying and the bulbs coming up. This now seems to be December most years, but this winter has been particularly mild.

Even Harry, our resident hedgehog was confused, and was still bobbing around at the end of December. Obviously he should have been hibernating, so we were getting quite worried about him.

We have an outdoor camera though and our last sighting of him was the 21^st December, so we’re hoping he is tucked up fast asleep by now.

By New Year the perennials had finally died back, and there was still no sign of the bulbs yet.

Unfortunately though, I broke my toe just before Christmas. So I’ve had to, impatiently sit and wait for it to heal. This has been particularly frustrating, knowing that this mild weather will have the bulbs coming up!

Finally last weekend, I was just about fit enough to play tidy-upper to my husband. I wasn’t allowed on the platform for obvious reason, so had to content myself with pointing at any bits I thought needed a bit more trimming. I’m sure this was appreciated.

This is probably about the latest we’ve cut the hedge. You could see the bulbs already poking through the ground.

One of the Hellebores in the white garden, has already started flowering, but luckily is close to the walnut tree so easy to avoid.

It meant we had to be careful where we put the platform, and our feet. I don’t think we’ve done any damage. Another week may have been a different matter though!

Getting the equipment together

The first thing to do, is gather together the equipment.

Fiskars loppers and secateurs’ are super. The loppers claimed, that they would cut up to an inch diameter and so far they have done exactly that.

The Black and Decker electric hedge-trimmer, is years old now, but still going strong.

The right tools, certainly make any job easier.

Our platform, just happens to be the perfect height for the job, and makes it safer.

Gloves, well these are very important when it comes to dealing with holly! I’ve been using leather ones for the last few years, which are great against the prickles, but not very warm. My husband discovered these MaxiTherm first, and now has me converted, they keep your hands toasty!

We have a large tarpaulin, which we lay out to catch the trimmings.

Cutting the holly hedge

Cutting the side of the hedge first, we clear most of the holly away. We scoop it into gorilla tubs then tip it into a builders dumpy bag. We make sure we always have at least a couple of empty ones. These are kept from all of the building materials we’ve had, and continue to have delivered

We then move the platform into position to do the top. Moving the tarp each time and repeating this process all of the way down.

When we first moved in the holly hedge was completed overgrown, and it took us a few years to tame it. Now though, we can cut at least three quarters of it in a day. Stopping when we have filled two dumpy bags.

Luckily we have a pickup, that two bags just squeeze nicely into. Once we’ve filled them, and been to the recycle centre to empty them, it’s already going dark. The disadvantage of working outside in the winter!