In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
Lynda Thornton writes:
|
| Last year our mature and high beech hedges seemed to have held their
| leaves a lot better than this winter - it's really very thin coverage in
| places and you can see right through big patches of bare twigs. We left
| it a bit late to trim it this time, although it was also late last year,
| could that explain it, or is it more likely down to weather conditions?

The weather. It is a LOT colder this winter than last.

| What is the best advice for helping beech to hold onto its leaves?

Keep it well trimmed. Seriously. Young beeches keep their leaves;
old ones drop them; the smaller and closer trimmed a hedge is, the
more it behaves like a young beech. Don't ask me why.

Hi Nick

Thanks - I think some other gardens have also got thin beech coverage
from what I can see on our road. We will give the hedges a good hard
trim next summer - I assume late August is the right time, not before?

Best wishes for Christmas

Lynda