Tree trimming, not felling
Tree pruning is the work done to keep a tree healthy, safe and in proportion with the garden around it. Craig reduces, lifts, thins and removes deadwood from trees across Suffolk and Norfolk, so a tree can stay rather than come down.
What we cover
This page is about trees that are staying. If a tree needs to be felled or removed altogether, that is covered on the tree surgery page.
Craig holds a Horticulture Level 3 diploma, which shapes how he approaches a cut: where to prune, how much to take and how the tree is likely to respond.
Good pruning is mostly invisible. The tree should look natural afterwards, just smaller, lighter or clearer of the house. Poor pruning, such as cutting every branch back to the same point, leaves stubs that rot and causes a mass of weak regrowth.
Cuts are made at the right point on each branch so the tree can seal the wound, and the amount removed is kept within what the tree can cope with in one go.
Most tree trimming jobs use one or more of these, chosen for the problem you want solved.
Pruning suits a tree that is basically sound but has become too big, too dark or too close to something. A tree shading most of the garden can often be thinned and lifted rather than lost. A tree rubbing on a roof can be cut back from it. If a tree is badly decayed, leaning dangerously or in completely the wrong place, Craig will say so honestly and talk through removal instead.
Many trees are best pruned in late autumn or winter while dormant, though some, such as cherries and walnuts, are better done at other times. Nesting birds are protected by law, so trees and shrubs are checked before any work in spring and summer.
If a tree is covered by a tree preservation order or stands in a conservation area, permission or notice is needed before pruning. Craig can explain how to check before the work is booked.
Craig looks at the tree, agrees with you exactly what is coming off and why, and plans how branches will be lowered safely around the house, fences and plants below. On the day, the cut material is cleared, the garden is left tidy and the waste is taken away.
Pruning is not only for big trees. Apples and pears that have become tall and tangled can be brought back to a manageable height over a couple of winters, which makes the fruit easier to reach. Ornamental trees that have outgrown a small garden can often be reshaped rather than replaced. Cherries and plums are pruned in summer, when the risk of disease getting into the cuts is lower.
Branches touching a roof, blocking gutters or reaching over a boundary are among the most common reasons people ask for tree trimming. Branches can be cut back to a sensible point so they do not reach the building again too quickly. Where a tree overhangs next door, it is worth talking to your neighbour first; Craig can explain what is usually reasonable to cut back.
Common questions
Pruning keeps a tree and improves it. Tree surgery on this site also covers felling and removing trees that need to come down.
Often, yes. A crown reduction shortens the outer branches so the whole tree is smaller but keeps its natural shape.
For many trees, late autumn to winter while dormant. Some species are better pruned at other times, and nesting birds must be checked for in spring and summer.
Only if it is protected by a tree preservation order or is in a conservation area. Your local council can confirm this.
Yes. Cut branches and debris are cleared and removed as part of the job.
Prices and timing explained
Most garden trees do not need felling. They need the right kind of pruning. This guide explains the main types of crown work in plain words so you can ask for what your tree actually needs.
Read guideMost garden trees are best pruned in late autumn or winter, while they are dormant. Some, including cherries, plums and walnuts, are better pruned in summer. Before any cut, check for nesting birds and whether the tree is protected.
Read guideTree pruning cost comes down to five things: how tall the tree is, how easy it is to reach, what kind of pruning it needs, how much waste there is and whether permission is needed first. This guide explains each, so quotes make sense.
Read guideUsually no: most garden trees in the UK can be cut down without permission. The exceptions are trees with a tree preservation order and trees in a conservation area, and checking takes one phone call to the council.
Read guideIn England, the common-law right to address encroaching branches generally allows pruning back to the boundary from your own land. It does not permit trespass or cutting beyond the boundary, and must be exercised without unlawfully damaging the tree. Tree protection, wildlife and ownership checks still matter.
Read guideTree surgery has no standard price list because no two trees present the same job. The cost reflects the size and condition of the tree, the risk around it, the access for getting branches and waste out, and the time the work takes. This guide explains the factors and points you to detailed guides for removal, pruning and stump grinding.
Read guideMore ways we can help
Straightforward advice
Call Craig or send photos, your location and a short description for an initial estimate.
