In article ,
"shazzbat" writes:
|
| Be brutal. Cut it all off about 1ft lower than you want the height to be.
| It'll be back. My next door neighbour last autumn cut a 10ft high privet
| down to a 2" stump. It's now 3ft high.

From the description, the latter solution sounds more appropriate;
1' off is not enough for a badly neglected hedge, and cutting back
HARD is the solution (for privet!) Now is a good time, too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.