Hedge - to trim back or not

[Jazz01]

So the law in relation to hedge cutting from March 1st to August 31st - does anyone know if such also covers a domestic dwelling where the hedge is 3ft tall and just acting as a divider between the gardens in a housing estate ? I'm getting conflicting information online. Info on AAM goes back to 2010.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or other destruction of vegetation growing on “any land not then cultivated” between 1st March and 31st August annually.

As it's not really cutting / grubbing / etc... and it's not a hedgerow ( these are detailed as what divides roads / land , or between different parcels of land ). The plan is just to trim back.

 

[Páid]

I am not an expert but I believe if it's a hedge on the grounds of a residential dwelling then it's cultivated and is not subject to the March to August restrictions.

 

[Corola]

That law is about hedgerows, trimming a hedge in a domestic garden is permitted.

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/reminder-on-hedge-cutting-and-the-law/

"Since horticulture includes gardening, the summertime trimming of hedges in the ordinary course of gardening falls under this exemption"

 

[DannyBoyD]

Do a check & make sure there's no birds nesting there before you start - another few weeks won't cause you any harm to wait if there is

 

[Jazz01]

Thanks for the replies - yes, have kept an eye on the hedge over a week or so and no birds going in etc. It's a low hedge and with the neighbours' cats - nothing would survive in these hedges.

 

[Leo]

Don't trim it until the rain returns, you risk damaging a plant that will be stressed at the moment unless it is well watered.

 

[kickstart]

have kept an eye on the hedge over a week or so and no birds going in etc

You'd be surprised. Nesting birds, particularly the small songbirds, are experts are approaching their nest without being seen. They have to be - their biggest concern is not cats (until the fledglings hop out) but other birds (e.g magpies, crows, sparrowhawks).

 

[Leper]

I don't know what age you are. But, if you're pushing on (like me almost pushed on) trimming a hedge a couple of time per year is hard work. Get it dug up and replaced by a wall.

 

[joe sod]

don't know what age you are. But, if you're pushing on (like me almost pushed on) trimming a hedge a couple of time per year is hard work. Get it dug up and replaced by a wall.

Hedges are nice, walls are generally ugly and soak up the heat in this hot weather, also with the price of building materials and labour would cost alot.
The trend of people digging up their gardens to put in concrete is a bad decision in my opinion especially in this hot weather, all that concrete abdorbs all that heat and not pleasant to sit out in in this weather

 

[Jazz01]

@Leper - I'm still young at heart ( similar to yourself, no doubt) and I've already enough walls around the place here that are just holders for climbing plants, a bit of green is good for the soul and it's not a large area, in fact I do the neighbours hedge too.

 

[ocd dad]

I've approx 1,700 feet of hedges to cut. Mixture of beech, privet, griselinia, laurel and the dreaded leylandi.
Usually trim them twice a year to keep them all no higher than 5ft ori which really means just a trim.
Takes about 2 weekends twice a year and yes does take a bit out of you but speaking as an ex bricklayer in a younger life, I much prefer them to walls
Secret is to never miss a years trimming, otherwise it changes from a labour of love to just pure labour

 

[Leo]

I have a DeWalt battery trimmer and it makes regular trimming a breeze. Much lighter than the petrol Ryobi I used before and every bit as effective, the simplicity means I'm more likely to get out and use it so I don't put it off!