Leylands -- Move or trim?

20 years ago

I currently have 4 leylands that were planted in my backyard very close to the back fence. (there were 5 but one came down when neighbor put in new fence and so I just took it out) I recently had a designer come up with a plan for the entire backyard and she recommends keeping the leylands but moving them out from the fence a bit and spreading them out.

I called a tree expert to come give me an estimate for moving them and he called to say that they are ok where they are and I should just trim them straight across and along the sides to keep them more bushy and even. The cost for this would be $300. I thought this sounds like a lot and am not sure what to do. I have included pictures and the design.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:25735}}

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Comments (4)

sewanhakagirl
Original Author
20 years ago
Below is a link to the plan... The small circles in the back are the existing location, you can see how she moves them forward.

Here is a link that might be useful:
sandyhill
20 years ago
Your designer is "right" in that they were planted too close to the fence and too close together. I'd go another step and say they shouldn't have been planted at all - way to big a tree for that space, period.

With that in mind, and their usually short lifespan, I woudn't waste money to move them. Replace them with better plants in the right place, or just trim them if needed for now, then replace them when they start to die or look ratty.

In any case don't spend $300 to "trim them straight across"
It will NOT make them "more bushy", in fact it will ruin the structure of the tree.

Say it with me... "Leyland cypress is a TREE ... not a hedge, but TREE, a BIG TREE."
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sewanhakagirl
Original Author
20 years ago
sandyhill --
Thanks, I was hoping that I would hear something like that. I don't like the look of a hedge and I kept thinking that a straight cut would make them look terrible. But the guy that gave the recommendation came very highly recommended as a tree expert from several other people in my neighborhood so I was second guessing myself.

My initial thought, given that I won't be able to do the entire plan at once, is to start on the "right half" of the landscape plan as that is where the addition to my home completly destroyed all and any vegetation. Then maybe do the "left half" in stages starting next year. Given that scenario I think you are probably right that I should just leave them as is for now. I did remove all the railroad ties in the meantime. I just don't want them to get so big that I can't remove them myself. I have paid for enough tree removals in this house fro the previous owner who planted stuff in bad places!
laag
20 years ago
A Leyland Cypress is a tree. But, so is an Arborvitae (Northern White Cedar for those of you in timber country).
These are a very fast growing tree and were not a wise choice, but they can be pruned. Pruned a lot, that is.

They have very sensitive root systems, so I would not recommend moving them. And if $300 for pruning is a lot, you definitely don't want to move them ($800+ each where I live).