When is the best time to trim a cypress hedge?

Unlike deciduous shrubs that go dormant, evergreens like cypress grow moderately throughout the winter. Trimming at the wrong time removes new buds and invites disease. For optimal health and shape, follow these guidelines:

Spring: Trim lightly in early spring to remove winter damage before rapid new growth emerges. Never shear deeply this time of year.

Summer: Refrain from trimming during active foliar growth in the summer when sap is flowing freely.

Autumn: This is the preferred season for reshaping overgrown specimens. Established hedges fill in quickly, so monitor regrowth.

Winter: Clip only as needed to maintain shape through the winter when growth has hardened off. Severe pruning now exposes inner foliage to frost damage.

With their tall, elegant forms and soft, feathery foliage, cypress plants like Cupressus, Chamaecyparis and Thuja species make classic evergreen hedges in the UK. They bring a stately shape and vibrant greenery to boundaries and garden borders all year-round.

Attributes of Cypress Hedging

Cypress varieties offer dense, compact growth in slender columns and billowing conical shapes up to 60 feet tall. Foliage may be fine and delicate or bold and dramatic, with scale-like leaves ranging from vivid green to grey-blue, some with lacy texture or golden variegation. Longevity spans decades, with little upkeep needed once established.

With attention to good timing, cypress hedges may be kept formally manicured or allowed to take on softer, more natural forms, lending beauty and privacy to the landscape for generations. Consistent trimming transforms them into sturdy living fences and windbreaks combined with visual delight.

More on cypress from the RHC here