Leylandii too big - advice on what to do

mcdermott_c

Our house has big Leylandii hedges on two sides (planted years ago by previous owners). The hedges are in good condition and I really like the privacy they give us. I have been cutting the hedges for the last few years, but they are now getting out of hand, so wondered what options I have to make maintenance easier but keep some privacy.
The hedge is 3m wide x 3.5m high, however, we are fortunate that the hedges back onto a farmers field on one side and a small carpark on the other (so not overhanging into any neighbours houses). I have come up with the following options and wondered if anyone has done something similar and can offer some advice about which might be best approach?

1. Take 1m off the top and trim the width annually to stop them getting wider.
2. Cut everything back to trunks and use these as stumps to attach an 8ft wooden fence (chancing my arm with height as no neighbours to complain)
3. Cut down to ground level and plant Laurel in between the stumps to start a new hedge (will the laurel grow with the leylandii roots still there?)
4. Take stumps and roots out entirely and put up a temporary fence, planting a new hedge in front. Remove fence once hedge established (This may not be possible as roots will likely spread a far distance under tarmac of carpark.

Black_Cat2

Hiya Mcdermott.  Sounds like you are not overlooked so you could remove the hedge and put in a fence instead -  maybe with a trellis on top?  The farmers field sounds like a nice outlook to me anyway 🐄

I'm usually a fan of hedges and wildlife but in this case sounds like it is becoming a bind for you. 

theoretica

How much use does the carpark get?  A hedge, rather than a fence, will probably do a bit better at filtering noise and dust.

A hedge, like yours, which has been let get out of hand will be hard or impossible to get looking good smaller - Leylandii do not do well if growing back from brown wood.  I personally would take it all out and plant an interesting mixed hedge.

Moss5

https://www.primrose.co.uk/premium-willow-fencing-screening-rolls-50m-18m-16ft-4in-6ft-papillon-p-91244.html
Your option #2 is close to how I coped. The width of the hedge was blocking my drive, so I cut back to the trunk on that side.
I then fitted straining wire to the trunks and cable-tied the willow fence to the wire. A second straining wire was added to the other side of the fence. It helps if you have access to both sides of the fence and two people to feed the cable-ties through.
I got a tree man to take a metre off the top. He hated doing it, but accepted my money.
Now that ivy has crept up the fence, it looks very rustic.

clive0510

personally I cant stand the things. they take all the goodness and moisture out the earth and leave nothing for anything else. mate of mine had them up the side of his house and they were upsetting the foundations causing cracks in the wall. whole lot had to cut down. so maybe something to bear in mind.

twopenny

I'd go for 4.

All other methods will be continuing work and messy. Fence panels blow down for a passtime, not that cheap and need maintenance.

Laurel and Beech grow quite fast but it will need regular trimming. Beech is more interesting because of it's changing colour. Privet grows a pace and I found it took less maintenance than the others. You can get a golden version and have a mix of green and gold.

mcdermott_c

Black_Cat2 I agree the side that faces the field could be a lot of lower to give nice view 
theoretica the car park has three neighbour cars parked there. Do you foresee the roots under the tarmac being a problem? or could these just be left in place and cut out as much of the trunk/roots in my garden? 
Moss5 we are quite exposed so wind could be a problem. I was thinking of a proper wooden fence, although I guess the stumps might not be in a perfect straight line.
 clive0510 the hedge is a distance from the house so not a problem, but my worry is the roots that will spread way under the tarmac, so I have no idea what to do about them. 
twopenny my preference would always be something natural such as a hedge do you think anything would grow well inbetween the stumps in I left them in place ?