Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in parts.

Local advice is against it saying that we will kill it by doing so (it
resents being shortened ?).

My questions.

1) If that is true, what is the likely timescale of overall death ?
(e.g. 5 years before the bit below the cut is dead ?)

2) If that is partly true what is the advice trimming such a noble
beast down to size (e.g. best times of year, how much at one time ?)

3) How much do these things grow anyway ? e.g. If untended for three
years what happens ?

( the options a

a)uproot it and replace it with a fence,
with obvious short, medium and long term upkeep consequences

b)shorten it anyway and accept that a) would apply eventually (nn years ?)

c) shorten it and hope that a)might never apply

d) Let it get unkempt but infrequently rein it back in. )


And does anybody know of a facilities management newsgroup that might have
'average ' costs on hedging vs fencing ?



To add to complications. I am talking about the south of France where there
is more rain than the tourist board makes public, albeit patchy. Also
labour costs are about the same as UK but achieve less in a day.

However. Simple answers to the above would be a good starting point.

Cheers all

-
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

Sorry. To avoid politics and flames please read this one instead --

John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk


Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in parts.

Local advice is against it saying that we will kill it by doing so (it
resents being shortened ?).

My questions.

1) If that is true, what is the likely timescale of overall death ?
(e.g. 5 years before the bit below the cut is dead ?)

2) If that is partly true what is the advice trimming such a noble
beast down to size (e.g. best times of year, how much at one time ?)

3) How much do these things grow anyway ? e.g. If untended for three
years what happens ?

( the options a

a)uproot it and replace it with a fence,
with obvious short, medium and long term upkeep consequences

b)shorten it anyway and accept that a) would apply eventually (nn years ?)

c) shorten it and hope that a)might never apply

d) Let it get unkempt but infrequently rein it back in. )


And does anybody know of a facilities management newsgroup that might have
'average ' costs on hedging vs fencing ?



To add to complications. I am talking about the south of France where there
is more rain than the tourist board makes public, albeit patchy.
Also labour costs are about the same as UK but achieve less in a day
because of the heat.

However. Simple answers to the above would be a good starting point.

Cheers all

-
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

Cupressus do not look good when lowered although you could try judicous
pruning
Why not put a laurel in back or frnt of it and allow that to grow up while
pruning the cupressus then when it dies the Laurel will take over
"John Owens" wrote in message
...
Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in parts.

Local advice is against it saying that we will kill it by doing so (it
resents being shortened ?).

My questions.

1) If that is true, what is the likely timescale of overall death ?
(e.g. 5 years before the bit below the cut is dead ?)

2) If that is partly true what is the advice trimming such a noble
beast down to size (e.g. best times of year, how much at one time ?)

3) How much do these things grow anyway ? e.g. If untended for three
years what happens ?

( the options a

a)uproot it and replace it with a fence,
with obvious short, medium and long term upkeep consequences

b)shorten it anyway and accept that a) would apply eventually (nn years ?)

c) shorten it and hope that a)might never apply

d) Let it get unkempt but infrequently rein it back in. )


And does anybody know of a facilities management newsgroup that might have
'average ' costs on hedging vs fencing ?



To add to complications. I am talking about the south of France where
there
is more rain than the tourist board makes public, albeit patchy. Also
labour costs are about the same as UK but achieve less in a day.

However. Simple answers to the above would be a good starting point.

Cheers all

-
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:152615

John, I wrestled with this decision a couple of years ago.

I had two very tall, but very lovely, cupressus trees. The tree surgeon
quoted £150 to either shorten them or take them out entirely. The tree
surgeon said that the trees could be shortened by one-third, and then after
a couple of years shortened again by another third (so the trees would
survive). However, he said that the trees would not be very attractive,
because the cut would just be a straight cut, not tapered. He also said
that autumn is a good time to do the job because the trees wouldn't start
growing back until spring. If the trees were not taken out, it would cost
£150 every couple of years to trim them (too high for DIY). So, the trees
were taken out completely.

However, I also had a hedge of smaller leylandii around the back garden.
The tree surgeon completely took out 2 sides of the hedge, but we chose to
keep one side of it (for greenery and privacy). However, it was trimmed
down to a little higher than a normal fence, so we can do our own DIY
trimming (twice a year) making sure the width as well as the height is
trimmed.

I expect eventually we'll have to chop down these trees because the trunks
will become too big. Without the hedge, privacy is now a problem, but at
least I can grow plants and flowers along the new fence.






"John Owens" wrote in message
...
I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in parts.

Local advice is against it saying that we will kill it by doing so (it
resents being shortened ?).

My questions.

1) If that is true, what is the likely timescale of overall death ?
(e.g. 5 years before the bit below the cut is dead ?)

2) If that is partly true what is the advice trimming such a noble
beast down to size (e.g. best times of year, how much at one time ?)

3) How much do these things grow anyway ? e.g. If untended for three
years what happens ?

( the options a

a)uproot it and replace it with a fence,
with obvious short, medium and long term upkeep consequences

b)shorten it anyway and accept that a) would apply eventually (nn years ?)

c) shorten it and hope that a)might never apply

d) Let it get unkempt but infrequently rein it back in. )


And does anybody know of a facilities management newsgroup that might have
'average ' costs on hedging vs fencing ?



To add to complications. I am talking about the south of France where
there
is more rain than the tourist board makes public, albeit patchy. Also
labour costs are about the same as UK but achieve less in a day.

However. Simple answers to the above would be a good starting point.

Cheers all

-
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

in article , John Owens at
wrote on 4/7/03 1:20 am:

Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in parts.

snip

If you're talking about the south of France, what kind of cupressus is it? I
ask because while I loathe C leylandii and almost always advocate removing
them and putting something less thuggish and prettier in their place, if
it's C. sempervirens, the whole point of them is that they *are* tall and
tapering and to my mind, quite gorgeous. If they're cut into, I would think
their whole raison d'etre would be lost.
--

Sacha

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:152635

Thanks Sacha.

They are not Leylandii.
I do not know exactly what they are.
There are photos on

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/moreoutside.htm

Specifically the view from the back patio

and the same tree / hedge goes around the front.

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/Accom%20GoodView.htm

Cheers




--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22

www.GoodViews.co.uk


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
in article , John Owens at
wrote on 4/7/03 1:20 am:

Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be
frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in
parts.

snip

If you're talking about the south of France, what kind of cupressus is
it? I
ask because while I loathe C leylandii and almost always advocate
removing
them and putting something less thuggish and prettier in their place, if
it's C. sempervirens, the whole point of them is that they *are* tall and
tapering and to my mind, quite gorgeous. If they're cut into, I would
think
their whole raison d'etre would be lost.
--

Sacha


THanks Sacha.

They are not Leylandii.
I do not know exactly what they are.
Theree are photos on

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/moreoutside.htm

Specifically the view from the back patio

and the same tree / hedge goes around the front.

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/Accom%20GoodView.htm

Cheers




--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22

www.goodviews.co.uk

well they dont look like worth keeping thats for sure
"John Owens" wrote in message
...
Thanks Sacha.

They are not Leylandii.
I do not know exactly what they are.
There are photos on

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/moreoutside.htm

Specifically the view from the back patio

and the same tree / hedge goes around the front.

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/Accom%20GoodView.htm

Cheers




--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22

www.GoodViews.co.uk


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
in article , John Owens at
wrote on 4/7/03 1:20 am:

Hello


I / We have a cupressus which is lovely but too high in parts. To be
frank
we have to pay the gardener too much to trim it as he practically need
climbing gear and oxygen to reach it. (well at least a complex set of
ladders). We asked about reducing it by between 0.5-1.5 metres in
parts.

snip

If you're talking about the south of France, what kind of cupressus is
it? I
ask because while I loathe C leylandii and almost always advocate
removing
them and putting something less thuggish and prettier in their place, if
it's C. sempervirens, the whole point of them is that they *are* tall
and
tapering and to my mind, quite gorgeous. If they're cut into, I would
think
their whole raison d'etre would be lost.
--

Sacha


THanks Sacha.

They are not Leylandii.
I do not know exactly what they are.
Theree are photos on

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/moreoutside.htm

Specifically the view from the back patio

and the same tree / hedge goes around the front.

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/Accom%20GoodView.htm

Cheers




--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22

www.goodviews.co.uk

"bnd777" wrote in message
...
well they dont look like worth keeping thats for sure

Careful they will hear you and wilt !



In fairness I wasn't saying they were beautiful but was asking whether they
will die if shortened and long will death take ? They are nicer than a
fence and I was hoping for a solution that would make them lower
maintenance than a fence.

Thanks anyway.


--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

in article , bnd777 at
wrote on 4/7/03 6:22 pm:




"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip
if
it's C. sempervirens, the whole point of them is that they *are* tall
and
tapering and to my mind, quite gorgeous. If they're cut into, I would
think
their whole raison d'etre would be lost.
--

Sacha


THanks Sacha.

They are not Leylandii.
I do not know exactly what they are.
Theree are photos on

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/moreoutside.htm

Specifically the view from the back patio

and the same tree / hedge goes around the front.

http://www.goodviews.co.uk/Accom%20GoodView.htm

Assuming I'm looking at the right thing, I'd say that's pine, not
Cupressus. Unless it's something like Pinus montezuma, which I seriously
doubt, I wouldn't break my heart over a slash and burn operation - not if
you're going to lose an all-important view like that one. The only thing I
would say is that if this property is very new to you, make sure you're not
obliterating an important shelter belt. If that's what those trees *are*
there for, then taking a few feet off the top and leaving the bulk to
shelter you might well be your answer. Only you and time can tell. ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove the 'x' to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
...


Assuming I'm looking at the right thing, I'd say that's pine, not
Cupressus. Unless it's something like Pinus montezuma, which I seriously
doubt, I wouldn't break my heart over a slash and burn operation - not if
you're going to lose an all-important view like that one. The only thing
I
would say is that if this property is very new to you, make sure you're
not
obliterating an important shelter belt. If that's what those trees *are*
there for, then taking a few feet off the top and leaving the bulk to
shelter you might well be your answer. Only you and time can tell. ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove the 'x' to email me)


Thanks, The advice is useful.

They do actually look nice close up !

--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk