We ve just moved into a new house with a very over grown hedge. How should we trim it and when

A.� That depends. Evergreen hedges should be tacked in mid-late spring whereas deciduous ones, ones that shed their leaves in winter, need to be dealt with in winter. Try to stick to these times, unless the local council is threatening to take action over greenery over-hanging the pavement.

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A.� For the heavy work an electric hedge strimmer is effective and saves a lot of time and effort. Always wear some sort of eye protection as there are liable to be branch fragments flying all over the place and use a current breaker, especially if you need to work on steps as this is a messy business and it's not always that easy to see where cables are.

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For more genteel trimming a pair of sharp shears or secateurs should be all you need with possibly a pair of long-handled secateurs to reach the upper reaches of a tall hedge.

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A.� It is always a good idea to mulch or fertilize and water around the base of the hedge. Well-established hedges tend to impoverise the soil around them and make it dry. Not only does improving the soil at the base help the hedge, but it also makes it easier to plant other things beneath it.

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A good old reliable that will grow in virtually any conditions is vinca (periwinkle),�which flowers from purple to white and also comes in variegated form. If you make the effort to improve the soil regularly, plant daffodils for spring and autumn-flowering cyclamen.

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