Ever since I was small I can remember being surrounded by tall bushy monsters. They used to swallow my football and tennis balls, which took a lot of searching to find again. I am talking about Cupressocyparis leylandii, or commonly known as just Leylandii. Almost everybody knows this tree; you may even live next to a hedge which you or your neighbours own.

Some people love them as they offer a quick solution for privacy, while some hate them as most grow quickly and are usually very tall if left. There are neighbour disputes over them, which sometimes end up in court. As there have been so many problems, a law specifically for high hedges has been developed to help many people involved in disputes.

The ‘high hedge law’ was brought out in 2005, and it enables local authorities to intervene, and decide what action is necessary. Firstly, the person complaining must provide evidence that they have tried to sort the dispute out with the hedge owner, before taking matters further. They must then contact their local council and pay a fee (At the time of writing, it is around £350), before the complaint can be investigated. The local council can then contact the hedge owner, and take them to court if the matter cannot be resolved.

The hedge offender could be fined £1,000, and the council can be ordered to cut the hedge to 8 ft 6 in (by the courts) which is the recommended maximum height according to the law. However, if the hedge is over 20 ft high, then the council would not be able to cut it to the recommended height as this could kill it. If that happened, then the council could be sued.

Hedge disputes are a lengthy process, and cause a great deal of stress to both sides. It is best to try to come to an agreement without it going to court, but sometimes going to the local authority is the only way it can be settled.

If a neighbour’s hedge or tree is over-hanging your property, the law states that you can cut the offending piece off as long as you give it back to your neighbours. However, this is a little dramatic, and it is always worth asking them first if you can cut the piece off. If they are unreasonable, then you can follow the procedure of giving them the piece that you have pruned. Do not take anymore off than the part that is overhanging your property, as it will cause further dispute and anger.

Although they have caused problems, common Leylandii are the fastest growing conifer you are going to get. I used to recommend them to customers when their neighbours built intrusive raised decks or patios, which invaded their privacy. However, they are especially useful for gardens that back onto busy main roads and motorways, as it helps to control noise and pollution.

The most common Leylandii is the green species. It was introduced to Britain from its native America around 1888. The name ‘Leylandii’ came from naval captain CJ Leyland, who brought it back from a voyage in North America and planted it in the gardens of his castle in North East England (Haggerston Castle).

It is the fastest of all the Leylandii, and can grow up to 25 m in height if left unpruned. If you plant one in your garden, then it does not come under the high hedge law as it is classed as a tree. If you plant a row of them, and train them into a hedge, then they come under the high hedge act. It is quite complicated, but this is the easiest and most accurate way of explaining the rules.

So, the common type of Leylandii: they are available to buy at many garden centres and nurseries, and are easy to grow. They prefer a dryish soil, but regular watering during the first year would be beneficial, especially during the summer months. If the soil is clay then be careful of flooding, as it could cause the roots to rot during the first year of planting. Apart from this, they will happily survive in most soils with an added mixture of fertiliser and grit before planting.

To create a reasonable two metre high hedge, then it is best to plant about two feet apart. If you want to grow a hedge above 20 feet, then they need to be spaced about 10 feet apart. It is best to start them off growing against a support, e.g. bamboo canes or small stakes.

I always like to nip out the growing tip on any stems that are growing quicker than the rest. This will ensure that they bush outwards, creating a tight dense shape. However, if you are growing one as a tree, then it is not necessary to take out the growing tip unless it is growing way out of shape. Appropriate staking, as described above, is very important for the first year of growing a Leylandii tree.

These green species will only grow about one foot in the first year, and then three to four feet every year after. This is only if they are happy, so make sure you talk to them each day!

Apart from the common green species, there are golden types of Leylandii. These are very popular as they create a bushier type of hedge, and are easier on the eye. Surprisingly, although these do not grow as tall as the green species, they are the most complained about hedge between neighbours. This is mainly because they block out more light, creating a dark shadow over other gardens once mature.

The most common Gold Leylandii in the United Kingdom is known as Castlewellan Gold. There are other species that are widely available such as Gold Rider, which is a slightly different gold colour to the common Castlewellan. I prefer the Castlewellan Gold out of all the species of Leylandii, mainly because they are slower growing but can reach the same height as the common green type over many more years.

The gold species need to be planted at a minimum of four feet apart, as they grow wider than the green type. To grow into a small hedge will take about four years as they usually only put on one foot a year. It is also recommended that the growing tips are taken out to encourage bushing out, just like the green type.

Planting is the same as for the green species: mix plenty of fertiliser, and a little grit into the soil before planting. It is best to plant about an inch above the top of the root ball, firming well in with the heel of your boot before watering.

I would recommend that all young Leylandii are staked and tied using small, soft tree ties. It is very important to check these, and loosen them before they are given the chance to strangle the tree.

One of the most common questions I am asked is ‘What feed can I use for my Leylandii?’. Well, you don’t have to use any feed. They will basically find the nutrients that they require themselves, by spreading their roots deep into the ground. If you have any sick looking Leylandii, or they are not growing quickly enough, then a feed would perhaps benefit them.

Talking about sick looking Leylandii, they are generally problem-free but like us they can develop problems. In the last few years, Leylandii have been under attack by a destructive insect called

cypress aphid. Climate change has been blamed for this problem, as milder winters in the UK enable these creatures to survive. They attack the trees by sucking the sap out of the leaves, causing the Leylandii to turn brown, which will eventually kill the branches and the whole trees.

There are many other problems that Leylandii could suffer from, but many of them are down to stress related disorders such as severe pruning or climate change.

This is an article on its own, as the problems are quite complex with many causes. Have a read of

‘Disease of Leyland Cypress’, which has been written by plant pathologists at North Carolina University, but all of the information applies to the UK and other countries.

In order to keep your trees looking their best, you can trim them to form a neat hedge. This can be done at most times of the year, but I would recommend avoiding very hot or cold days as the foliage is likely to turn brown.

If you would like to prune your trees quite hard, then early spring or autumn is the best time. This is when they are in their dormant state, and will not get as stressed out as during the summer time. You can reduce the height of your trees by a third, but no more than this in the same season as you are likely to kill them. When cutting the sides do not cut too deep inside, and definitely not past the green foliage into the wood as they will take years to recover if at all.

After pruning or trimming, remember to give them a nice drink of water. If they start to look brown and sickly, then a boost with a fertiliser should bring them back onto top form.

Of course, if you are feeling really ambitious why not create something like this

Giant Christmas Pudding.

Happy Gardening!

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