2 Q's best hedge and cutting back hydrangea

Welsh_Totster

As the title states I've got two questions. First being how brutal can you be cutting back a hydrangea once it's died back? I have a large one in my front garden that is overhanging the wall and is over spilling onto the pavement quite a bit. If I prune it right back will it grow tidily next season? Second question is I'm thinking of possibly planting a hedge between our back garden and next door for privacy as currently there's only a 3ft fence. We already have a 7ft beech hedge on the other side of the garden but I wondered what's best to plant in clay that will grow fairly quickly that's not leylandii?

Ta

TravellingAbuela

Hi re your first question - pruning hydrangea. I cut mine back quite severely 2 years ago and last summer I didn't have a single flower on it. However, this summer it has been full of flowers and looks better than it's ever been. Hopefully someone will tell us the correct way to prune as I daren't touch it again after it's flowerless year last summer!

Welsh_Totster

Oooh thanks for that, I don't mind if it doesn't flower one year as long as I get the leaves growing back and I can tidy it up as at the mo it's a good 6-7ft tall and about the same round! Ta!

philbostavros

Hi

Agree with previous post - you can cut back the hydrangea very hard but it then wont flower the following year.

With mine, I like the flowers so I only cut back about 9 to 12 inches and it flowers okay. (Hides the wheely-bins too).

Prune each stem to just above a bud.

westiea

For future reference - most deciduous shrubs that produce flowers in late summer - like Hydrangeas- need pruning in spring (after frosts but early as you can). This is because they flower on the growth made in the previous year.

2 Hedge suggestions -
Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam) can be cut hard and is great in clay - deciduous but retains leaves through winter like your beech. Plant bare root in late winter.
Berberis thunbergii/stenophylla (thunbergii is better for a low hedge). Plant containerised anytime.

Welsh_Totster

Thank you both for the advice and suggestions, I think a harsh pruning for the hydrangea will be in order next year then and will deffo look into the hedge options, thanks again!