[tim3]

Hi,
I have a lovely cypress hedge about 10ft tall x 6ft deep x 60ft long. The local kids climb through it either into my garden or up to the top as it's completely hollow apart from the main branches. I was thinking of trimming it as much as possible without going to the bare wood and then putting up a mesh fence and letting it grow back through but the problem is the outside of the bush has grown almost 2 feet over the public footpath so I obviously can't put fence posts in without cutting it right back. Has anyone got any ideas? Perhaps even an idea how to fill the void inside the hedge? Prickly shade plants? Killer bees ?
Many Thanks,
Tim

[kindredspirit]

If part of it is 2 feet over a public footpath, aren't you in trouble already?

Those hedges keep getting fatter and fatter and if you cut in past the green, no new shoots will replace them. You could trim back to the trunk and put in a solid wooden fence but a 60' long one'll be expensive.

[Greengage]

There is no solution to this I dont care what anyone posts. You canot trim it back its already 2ft over a footpath which could get you in trouble with the local County council. I know someone who cut the branches back tight on the outside it looked terrible when he was informed he said its not his problem as he is inside looking out and never outside looking in, it takes all kinds of folk.
Boundary hedges and fences take long term planning too late when the horse has bolted sorry............

[baabamaal]

I'm no way an expert but in my job I hear a lot of complaints about this. The first thing to say is that I wouldn't consider it a 'hedge'- to me, it is a row of trees. And these trees (unlike beech) do not respond well to pruning. The longterm solution in my opnion would be to replace the lot with a more suitable hedging plant.. The fact that you are encroaching on the path by two feet would suggest that you need to take action fairly soon.

Hope it works out and you find a solution to this problem.