Making a hedge less wide

[juston]

We have an amazing hedge of laurel and various other things but it's getting wider every year and taking up too much of the garden. Can I make it narrower and how do I do this?

Just chop the vertical side back, it will look terrible for a few weeks but will re-green nicely. I cut my laurel back by 1 metre in this way and it looks a great a year on.

Don't do both sides of the hedge the same year. If you're going to do your neighbour's side, leave it till next year.

Hedges are better if they get narrower towards the top, so when you cut it, make the cut slightly angled.