Agree the shape along the whole boundary
A good hedge brief can be read from either end. Walk the accessible side and note where the top steps up, a wall changes height or a gate interrupts the line. If you want a continuous visual line, photograph both sections together. A request to maintain screening is easier to understand if the photo also shows the window or route being screened.
Take a separate look at the base. It might be reachable from a bed on one side and blocked by a fence on the other. Tell us who can open the relevant gate, and identify the face that needs most work. If the hedge has grown beyond the available working area, show the part you need assessed rather than choosing a height from a distant photograph.
Describe the intended finish without prescribing a cut that may be unsuitable for the plant. A formal hedge can have a clear top line, while a less formal one may only need misplaced shoots removed. If the main issue is getting past, mark the point at which the growth projects into the route. That gives the visit a practical goal.
Ivy in hedges deserves a separate picture. Show where it enters the stems, and flag any weak fence beneath. The trimming plan can then identify whether the ivy is part of the work or an area to assess separately. Agree where trimmings can be gathered, particularly when a narrow path is the only route back out.
How a hedge is shaped correctly
The RHS pruning hedges guidance shows a formal hedge tapering so the base is wider than the top and the lower branches receive light. Informal hedges can keep a looser outline. Timing varies by species and by whether flowers are part of the finish. The RHS how to trim a hedge guide describes a line of string as a guide for a straight face, and distinguishes shears or powered trimmers from secateurs or loppers for individual stems on large-leaved hedges.
Before cutting, check for nesting activity. An active nest needs to be left undisturbed. See GOV.UK wild bird protection. Hedges up to 4 metres are covered. Taller hedges are assessed individually and the height is confirmed in the written quotation.
Ivy in hedges can be considered as a separate job. See Ivy trimming and removal and show the base of the ivy as well as the hedge face.
