The whole family worked to trim back the very overgrown hawthorn hedge last weekend, collecting a very big pile of sticks and branches for next year's wood pile. We treat this hedge more as a coppice, and it's on a 5-7 year cutting rotation. We cut a few last winter too and this winter took down the rest. South facing, it has let in a lot of light! But I liked tall green wall it gave us as well, so I don't mind the overgrowth either. I expect a lot of new growth this spring.
The husband was in charge of the electric saw, I commandeered the loppers, and the son was on transport duty. The daughter helped by digging holes quietly in the far part of the garden, away from all the sharp stuff.
I mentioned to the husband that the laurels need it too, but not until later in the year; they are part of the same hedge, both planted by a previous owner. Although laurels can be cut back hard too--even to the ground--I don't coppice them in the same way as the hawthorns; unlike the hawthorns, they grow in the shade of the mature horse chestnut tree and block out the view of at least three neighbors. A welcome privacy feature, I treat them as an actual hedge and try to just trim them back every other year or two.
And on the subject of trees, the husband also planted out a pot grown quince that I started from seed several years ago; our local greengrocer used to sell quinces, and over a few winters I scattered seeds in several planters on my patio, with fingers crossed. Well, two are still alive: one that was planted out last year (and we'd thought died in a hot/dry spell, but happily has new growth) and this one, a year younger. The first is planted against the fence and the second is near the chicken yard, free standing.
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