Peter’s tips for making space

1 It will be easier to remove deciduous trees and shrubs in winter after leaf fall, when there is less foliage to clear and the soil is moist. Landscaper John Sexton (pictured) uses the trunk of the tamarix for leverage.

2 Big trunks can be split in half with wedges working from the cut top downwards, so the workload is halved and it is removed in two pieces.

3 Shrubs that have outgrown their space are best removed and replaced by something smaller, rather than repeatedly pruning back hard.