Tree care, explained.
Practical information on tree law, timing, and common problems in Leeds and Yorkshire. Written by the person who does the work. No filler.
Honey fungus and the diseases behind sudden tree decline
A myth-and-management guide to honey fungus and the other diseases that make a healthy-looking tree collapse across the Leeds to York corridor.
Read the guide Tree healthIvy on trees: does it actually kill them, and should you cut it off?
Ivy is not a parasite and a healthy tree usually copes fine with it. Here is when ivy really is a problem, and how to deal with it without damaging the tree.
Read the guide Practical adviceHedge removal: taking a hedge out for good
This is about taking a hedge out for good, or one heavy one-off reduction, not routine trimming. Here's what full hedge removal involves, what drives the cost, and the checks worth doing first.
Read the guide Practical adviceCrown reduction, thinning and lifting: which one your tree actually needs
Four different jobs get lumped together under one word. Here is what each one actually does to your tree, when it is the right call, and the one operation a good tree surgeon will refuse.
Read the guide Practical adviceDo you need a tree survey? Mortgage and BS5837 reports explained
Not sure whether that big tree near your house needs a written report? Here is who actually needs a tree survey, the main types, and roughly what each one costs.
Read the guide Practical adviceWhen should you trim a beech hedge?
Beech gives you a green wall in summer and a copper one in winter, but only if you cut it at the right moment. Get the timing right and a deciduous hedge screens your garden all year round.
Read the guide Tree lawCan my neighbour cut my tree? Overhanging branches, roots and the law
Overhanging branches, dropped leaves, blocked light, lifted flags: trees start more disputes between neighbours than anything else in a garden. Here's what the law actually says, what it doesn't, and the calm way to sort it without falling out.
Read the guide Practical adviceArborist vs tree surgeon: what's the difference, and who do you need?
In everyday UK use, arborist and tree surgeon mean the same job. The word on the van tells you almost nothing. What actually matters is the certificates, the insurance and the way they quote. Here's how to read all three.
Read the guide Practical adviceWhen to prune fruit trees in the UK: apple, pear, plum and cherry
Most apples and pears want pruning in the dormant winter, roughly November to early March. Plums and cherries are the opposite: summer only, never winter, or you risk silver leaf. Here's the month-by-month rule for every common fruit tree.
Read the guide Practical adviceWhen should you cut a laurel hedge?
Laurel is the fastest hedge most Yorkshire gardens will ever own. Cut it at the right time and it stays dense and glossy; cut it at the wrong time and you get brown edges and bare patches.
Read the guide Tree lawHedge cutting and the law: nesting birds, boundaries and height limits
There's no month the law bans hedge cutting outright, but nesting birds, your neighbour's boundary and the high-hedge rules all set real limits. Here's what actually applies in Leeds and Yorkshire.
Read the guide Practical adviceWhen is the best time of year for tree surgery?
Most tree work can be done year-round, but timing it well gives a cleaner result and a healthier tree. Here's how we think about it.
Read the guide PricingHow much does tree surgery cost? A straight guide to prices
There's no flat rate for tree work, but there are honest ranges. Here's what affects the price, rough UK guide figures, and why we quote on site rather than over the phone.
Read the guide Tree healthAsh dieback in Yorkshire: how to spot it and what to do
Ash dieback is now widespread across Yorkshire. Spotting it early, and understanding why it makes a tree dangerous, helps you act before it becomes an emergency.
Read the guide Tree lawDo you need permission to cut down a tree? TPOs and conservation areas explained
Two things create a legal requirement before you can touch a tree: a Tree Preservation Order, or a conservation area. Here's how each works, and how to check your address.
Read the guide Practical advicePollarding: what it is, when to do it, and what it costs
Done properly, pollarding is how you keep a big-growing tree in a small space, permanently. Done badly, it's just topping with better PR. Here's the difference, and what the work involves.
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