Hedges trimmed, shaped and brought back to height.
From a tidy trim of a kept hedge to rescuing a lilly pilly screen that has got away, done by qualified arborists from four Sydney bases, with every clipping chipped and removed.
- Since 2004
- Tall hedges from an EWP
- Chipped and removed
- Quoted from a photo
- Answered after hours
- 22+ yrsArborists since 2004
- AQF 5Two consulting arborists
- $20mPublic liability insurance
- RFSVolunteer Deputy Captain and trainer on the team
- TAFEChainsaw operations teacher on staff
- 5.0★Google rating (22 reviews)
Hedges and trees, trimmed properly
Hedging and trimming are the jobs people ask for most, and a large part of what we do.
Hedge trimming and shaping
Faces squared up, tops levelled, lines kept clean. Lilly pilly, murraya, viburnum, photinia, conifer and bamboo screens.
Overgrown hedge reduction
Height brought back to something you can manage, then the faces cut back to where there's still healthy growth. Species decide how hard we can go.
How we bring a hedge back →Tall screens from an EWP
Hedges that are past a ladder and shears are trimmed from an elevated work platform, safely and evenly.
Tree trimming and pruning
Deadwood out, branches off the roof and wires, heavy limbs reduced, to AS 4373. Never lopping.
Tree trimming →Hedge removal
Dead, diseased or just unwanted hedges removed, roots ground out, ready for a new planting or a fence.
Clean-up included
Every clipping chipped on site and taken away (or left as mulch if you want it). Paths and lawns blown off before we leave.
Photo, price, trim, clean
Send a photo
A photo of the hedge with a rough length and height, and the suburb. We call back almost as soon as it arrives.
Free quote
For bigger hedges we come and look, usually within 24 to 48 hours, and give you a fixed price in writing.
Council check
Routine trimming rarely needs a permit, but some councils count hedges as trees or cap how much can come off in a year. We check yours first.
Trim or reduce
Hand shears and hedge trimmers for the faces, saws for the hard cut-backs, an EWP for anything tall. Cuts that suit the species.
Chip and clear
Clippings chipped and removed, the site cleaned.
Keep it that way
Tell us when you'd like it done again; a hedge trimmed before it runs away stays dense and costs less to keep.
How hard a hedge can be cut depends on what it is
Lilly pilly, murraya, viburnum and photinia re-shoot from old wood, so an overgrown screen can be taken back hard and will fill in again. Conifers such as Leyland cypress only regrow within the green: cut past it and the brown patch is permanent, so they are trimmed little and often. Bamboo is thinned and topped rather than sheared.
Getting a neglected hedge back is a two-step job: bring the height down to something you can manage, then cut the faces back to where there is still healthy growth. We'll tell you what your hedge will take before we start. More on overgrown hedges →
Before you call
- Rough length and height of the hedge
- What it is, if you know (a photo of the leaves is enough)
- How tall you'd like it kept
- Access: side path width, anything in the way
- Keep the mulch, or take it away?
Arborists, not a bloke with a hedge trimmer
Anyone can buy a hedge trimmer. Knowing how far each species can be cut, working safely at height, and clearing up afterwards is the difference.
- 22 years in business. Above All Tree Services has been a family business since 2004, now seven full-time staff plus casual crew, with cranes and elevated work platforms for the hardest jobs.
- Two AQF Level 5 consulting arborists. Wayne Back and Joshua Baber hold the Diploma of Horticulture (Arboriculture), the qualification councils ask for when they want a "consulting arborist"; Josh writes the arborist reports councils ask for.
- Wayne teaches chainsaw operations at TAFE NSW part-time, and is a volunteer Deputy Captain and trainer with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
- Licensed for the dangerous bits: elevated work platforms over 11 m, Electrical Close Approach for work near service lines, and rail, ARTC and Sydney Airport inductions.
- $20 million public liability, $10 million professional indemnity and workers compensation. Ask any contractor for their certificate of currency; we'll hand you ours.
- Four bases across Sydney (Engadine, Ryde, Gordon, Bankstown), trusted by Bayside Council, strata managers and schools, and we call back almost as soon as your request comes in.
Questions people ask us
How much does hedge trimming cost in Sydney?
It depends on the hedge's length and height, how overgrown it is, access, how much waste there is to chip and cart away, and the species. A tidy trim of a kept hedge is a very different job from bringing a neglected 4 m lilly pilly back to 2 m. Quotes are free and fixed; a photo with the hedge's length and height usually gets you a price quickly. What decides the cost.
How hard can you cut a hedge back?
It depends on the species. Lilly pillies, murrayas, viburnums and photinias re-shoot from old wood and can be cut back hard. Most conifers won't regrow from bare wood, so they can only be trimmed within the green; cut past it and the brown patch is permanent.
Do I need council approval to trim a hedge?
Usually not for routine trimming, but some councils set limits on how much can be cut back in a year, some treat a hedge as trees once it's over their height or trunk threshold, and removing a hedge of protected species can need a permit. We check your council before we quote. The rules for every Sydney council are on our main website.
My neighbour's hedge blocks my sun. What can I do?
Talk to them first. If that fails, NSW's Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act lets the Land and Environment Court order work on a hedge of two or more trees that are 2.5 m or taller and severely block sunlight to a window or a view. Our guide to neighbour tree disputes explains the process.
When is the best time to trim?
Most Sydney hedges can be trimmed any time. For a hard reduction, late winter or early spring gives the plant the growing season to recover. We avoid heavy cutting in the heat of midsummer.
Can you do a regular trim?
Yes, as often as you like; tell us how often it needs it. Hedges trimmed before they run away stay dense and cost less to keep.
Do you trim trees too?
Yes. Pruning and tree trimming are most of what Above All does: deadwood, clearance from roofs and wires, weight reduction, to the Australian standard AS 4373. See tree trimming.
Where do you cover?
Across Sydney, from four bases (Engadine, Ryde, Gordon and Bankstown): the Sutherland Shire, St George, the inner west and eastern suburbs, the north shore and northern beaches, the Hills and western Sydney.
Hedge got away from you?
Send a photo with the length and height and we'll come back with a price.