[vonkiglin]

Hello All
I have a hedge at the front of my house (the standard type you see outside all houses) and I would like to trim it about a foot shorter if possible. I know with some if you cut it back too far and get back to the brown then it wont grow back I know this is not a leylandii type hedge so was wondering if anyone had any advice.

[JayG]

If it's a privet it can and does survive serious pruning very well as it readily produces new shoots from old wood, so hack away!

[vonkiglin]

ah thank you for that next time it has a haircut I will go for it then

[compostqueen]

Don't go mad. I hate to see a hedge that's decimated. I prefer a bit of judicious pruning myself    I think radical hacking is a man thing 

[JayG]

Hedges have a habit of getting gradually taller (and wider) no matter how diligently you trim them.

If your 5' hedge has become a 7' hedge over the years I don't see there is much choice (you don't have to attack it like a mad axeman!) 

[vonkiglin]

The problem I have is we have moved into the house in october which was empty for about a year previous so the whole hedge although trimmed in that time hasjavascript:replaceText(' ', document.forms.postmodify.message); been left to get messy my plan more so is if I do it a bit at a time and get it back into line neatly with the neighbours then that should work. I wont be taking a chainsaw to it but I just want it looking neater and more welcoming.
Due to lack of funds the garden is one thing I can tidy up cheaply unlike the rest of the house which needs a bit more than a trim so will be a work in progress for years to come

[JayG]

If it can be brought back to the right height with ordinary hedge-trimmers that's OK, but if it's gone beyond that stage you will have to get the secateurs and possibly a saw to it.

That's a pretty long job and I wouldn't want to do it in two stages, but it's entirely up to you of course. 

[Goosegirl]

An idea of the hedge plant or a pic would help with advice.

[8doubles]

Don't go mad. I hate to see a hedge that's decimated. I prefer a bit of judicious pruning myself    I think radical hacking is a man thing 

I`m a radical hacker  , if it needs to be taken back 12" you have to hack it back 18" to allow for the new covering growth.
 It`s a hedge not a hairdo.

[fatcat1955]

Cut back hard1 side this year and do the other side next year