December gardening tips: overhaul a hedge

To really tackle an overgrown hedge, winter is the time to attack

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Hedge trim
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All hedges have their best season for trimming, but when the day comes to reduce a hedge that's got out of bounds, winter is the time. This is a major dismantling job, which requires careful forethought followed by a big push. There is much to be said, especially with evergreens such as yew and holly, for tackling the job in annual stages-one side this year, the other next-in order to allow time for recovery. Once the desired outline is reached, clean out the bottom and get ready to water and mulch in the spring. Victory is at hand.

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Country Life
Country Life

Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.

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