Timing guide
Written by Craig, Foundation Garden & Trees
One autumn cut carries most hedges through winter looking sharp. Species and weather decide the best few weeks within it.
5 minute readUpdated September 2026Last updated:
September and October suit most mixed and evergreen hedges.
Leylandii will not regrow from brown wood, so never cut past the green.
A frost hard cut on young growth can scorch the new face.
Growth has slowed, so the shape you cut is the shape you keep until spring. The garden is also usually dry enough underfoot for a platform or tower, which keeps the job efficient.
Autumn is the busiest window locally, so the diary fills from late August. Booking early is the difference between a September slot and a December one.
Different hedges suit different weeks of the season.
Most customers combine the autumn cut with a wider tidy: leaf clearance, a final grass cut and cutting back perennials. Doing it in one visit costs less than three separate call outs.
Common questions
No. Deciduous and native hedges are happily cut through to February. It is only soft new growth on tender evergreens that dislikes a hard cut just before a heavy frost.
A formal evergreen hedge looks best with two, usually June and September. A native or slow growing hedge is fine with one autumn cut.
The sides and top can be reduced in autumn as long as you stay within green growth. Cutting back into bare brown wood leaves a permanent gap.
It makes sense. The hedge cut drops material anyway, so clearing leaves in the same visit saves a second charge.
Straightforward advice
Call Craig or send photos, your location and a short description for an initial estimate.
