In article , says...
I thought i'd post this, there are probably many leylandi haters reading,
might as well cheer a few of them up!

I have never let them get out of control, they have never been over about
8-9 feet, but earlier this summer I decided to get them back to 6ft and my
plan was to cut them down to about 5 ft high, and trim them right back.
Naively I thought I would see some fluffy new growth, LOL!

What an effing mess! My best bet I guess is to plant some new ones inbetween
or if anyone has any ideas for a quick growing hedge I am all ears.

Regards,
Rick




Take out the Leylandyi, the sooner done the less the unsightly mess will
be with you, improve the soil in the planting holes with some nice well
rotted manure and buy some yew hedging, get it from a good supplier who
can tell you whether the plants are seed or cutting raised (hedges are
always best if they are of identical clones as the growth rates will be
the same and it will always look even) it will take 3-5 years to form a
good hedge but will last several lifetimes and never be a nuisence and
need cutting only once a year.
Do not attempt to plant between the existing trees - ! tried that! new
plants failed due to the competition and lack of water
I have a leylandi hedge and very much wish I had chosen differently!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea