Trim evergreen hedges

Just before your evergreen hedges really get going for the growing season, prune them now so it’s one less job to think about in the coming weeks. Do it now or you may find they’ve run away with themselves and gone unruly, and it’ll be a tougher job. Leave flowering ones, though, until their blooms have finished. Aim to remove crowded, diseased and damaged growth, as well as up to a third of any growth that spoils the appearance. Hand-held loppers avoid the blunt-edged look that electric trimmers give.