How do I trim my hedge?

[TinCan]

This is probably a very basic question, but I'm a gardening novice and need your advice. I've recently purchased a house in London that has the typical small hedge in front of the house for privacy. The previous owner neglected the hedge for some time and it has grown over the sidewalk in a round bulbous fashion....very unattractive! I would like to trim it back but need to cut back at least 1-2 feet to get it back to a nice and tidy size. However if I cut back that much I will have cut off most of the greenery - does it grow back in spring? I've purchased an electric hedge trimmer and am ready to go, but can I take such drastic measures all in one go or do I have to gradually prune back over time?

Depends really on what sort of hedge it is.

An evergreen hedge that needs hard pruning should be done in spring, a deciduous hedge should be hard pruned in the winter while the plant is still dormant. Many conifers don't tolerate hard pruning though. If it's something like box or privet, you should be OK doing it about now.

What's often recommended with very overgrown hedges is that you hard prune one side plus the top one year, then the following year do a hard prune on the other side and just do a tidy up of the first side. In practice though it's usually easier to chop the lot off - it looks a bit bald for a while but if it's something like privet it will grow back.

....can't.....quite...resist though

Must admit, after reading the "Lady Garden" thread I did have to click this to see if it was as innocent as it seemed!

Sorry I can't help TC.

Tsk ... such naughtiness ...

If only I could send this hedge to the salon for a waxing - it certainly would make my life easier. But alas, this is NOT the lady garden kind of hedge.

Am also v. sorry, I read the title of this thread and pmsl!
Shears can be very dangerous for trimming one's hedge