When (and How Often) Should You Trim Your Hedges?

A well-kept hedge frames a garden and adds privacy — but only if it's trimmed on a sensible schedule. Leave it too long and it goes woody, sparse and hard to bring back.

For most ornamental hedges, two trims a year is the sweet spot: one in late spring and another in late summer. Fast-growing varieties like photinia or lilly pilly may need a third light trim.

Always trim so the base is slightly wider than the top. This lets light reach the lower foliage and stops the hedge going bare at the bottom — one of the most common mistakes we see.

Formal, geometric hedges need more frequent, lighter trims to keep their crisp edges. If yours has become overgrown, a structural prune can usually rescue it over a season or two.