Perhaps the most artistic part of my work, trimming, and especially the shaping of hedges and shrubs is also deeply rewarding. It can uniquely transform a garden since most shrubs or hedges are at or above eye level. Check out the example above.
Beyond aesthetic, some shrubs & hedges benefit from regular or yearly trimming for growth and density purposes, such as cedar hedges. Cedar hedges, in particular, benefit from rounding of upper edges to ensure snow falls off easily during the winter.
If you watch me trim anything, you’ll see the trimmer moving slowly & steadily. While the blades of the trimmer move very quickly, moving the trimmer slowly ensures the cleanest cut to the plant, avoiding tearing or ripping.
I’ll start at the bottom of the shrub/hedge, and might make several passes of the same area cutting back a little more each time. It’s important not to take off more than the plant can handle or to go so far back to expose branches. I’ll keep working my way up higher, shaping as I go. You’ll see me stepping back from the shrub/hedge several times to see and ensure the shaping is accurate; it’s often difficult to tell this from up close. For hedges that require a ladder to trim at the top it’s the same process only with moving the ladder along every few feet for that section.
Hedge + shrub trimming/shaping
aesthetic + plant health
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Clean-up of clippings is often the most overlooked aspect of trimming. It’s important to get not only the clippings in the ground it’s also just as important to get all of the clippings off of the shrub/hedge itself. Clippings left on the shrub/hedge will turn brown and will detract from appearance. I take a small rake and go over the surface of the shrub/hedge, gently raking out the clippings that are visibly. For large hedges I take a rake up the ladder with me and rake the section I just trimmed while I’m up on the ladder; otherwise I’ll have to climb back up again with the rake which just adds more time/expense to the job.
Once the clippings are on the ground any big clippings are raked up and collected in a bin or on a tarp, depending on the size of job. The rest are all cleaned up with a leaf vacuum, resulting in a speedy, and very thorough, cleanup.
neat + tidy matters
Petersburg, ON, Canada