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  • Anglian Land Services

Hedge laying and maintenance in Essex & East Anglia

Keep your boundary hedges healthy, stockproof and full of life with our hedge laying and maintenance services. We work with farmers, landowners, estate managers and local authorities across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, using traditional hedge laying techniques alongside regular trimming and care. Whether you want to bring an overgrown hedge back into a stockproof boundary, meet Countryside Stewardship requirements, or simply keep your hedges looking their best, our experienced team can help.

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  • Proffesional Hedge cutting

What makes our hedge laying and maintenance service stand out

Hedge laying, sometimes called hedge layering, is a traditional countryside skill that turns a gappy or overgrown hedge into a thick, living, stockproof barrier. The process involves cutting most of the way through the base of each stem, known as a pleacher, and bending it over at an angle so it keeps growing. New shoots then grow upwards from the laid stems, thickening the hedge and closing up gaps. It is one of the most effective ways to manage a hedgerow long term, bringing real benefits for wildlife, livestock containment and carbon storage. We combine this traditional craft with regular hedge maintenance and trimming, so your hedges stay in good shape between laying works.
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  • Expert Hedge cutting Services

Our hedge laying and maintenance process

1

Free site visit & assessment

We visit your site to look at the condition, age and species of your hedgerow, discuss what you want to achieve and explain whether laying, gapping-up or ongoing maintenance is the right approach.

2

Expert laying, layering and trimming

Our team carries out the work using traditional techniques suited to East Anglia, pleaching and laying stems by hand and machine where appropriate, or carrying out routine trimming to keep an already healthy hedge in shape.

3

Complete site clearance

We clear away all cut material and debris, leaving your hedgerow and the surrounding land tidy and ready to grow on.
  • hedge trimming and pruning

Why hedge laying matters for your land

A well-laid hedge creates a dense, thorny barrier that keeps livestock contained without relying on fencing alone, making it popular with farmers and landowners across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The thickened base provides excellent shelter and nesting habitat for birds and small mammals, stores carbon in its woody growth, and helps reduce soil erosion on farmland.

Hedge laying is closely tied to environmental stewardship, and many landowners carry out this work as part of Countryside Stewardship agreements. Grant funding is available through the Hedgerow Laying item, which currently pays £13.52 per metre. We are happy to advise on the practical side of the work, though we always recommend speaking with the Rural Payments Agency or your land agent on financial and eligibility matters.

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  • Hedge cutting Essex

The right time of year, and the right style for East Anglia

Hedge laying must be carried out during the dormant season, between November and March, when hedgerows are not in leaf and ground-nesting birds are not breeding, in line with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Because the season is short, we recommend planning your work well before autumn.

Several regional styles of hedge laying exist, each suited to different terrain and stock. Across Essex and East Anglia we typically work in the Midland style and the South of England style, both producing a strong, low, stockproof hedge well suited to local farmland and mixed livestock holdings. We will recommend the style best suited to your hedgerow.

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  • hedge trimming and pruning

Hedge maintenance, trimming and planting

Hedge laying is not a one-off job. A newly laid hedge benefits from a few years of careful trimming to encourage thick, bushy growth before settling into a regular maintenance cycle. We offer ongoing hedge maintenance and trimming, along with hedge planting to fill gaps using species suited to East Anglia, including hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel and field maple. We work with farmers, landowners, estate managers, parish and town councils, tailoring our approach to working farmland, estates and public green spaces alike.

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  • Professional Hedge cutting in Essex

Why choose us for hedge laying and maintenance

Local knowledge and experience

We understand the hedgerow styles, species and seasonal timings that suit East Anglia, and we plan all hedge laying work within the November to March dormant season.

Personal and professional service

You will work with the same dedicated team who take the time to understand your land, your stock and your long-term goals for your hedgerows.

Modern equipment

We combine traditional hand laying skills with modern equipment, allowing us to take on hedgerows of all lengths and conditions efficiently and safely.

Environmentally responsible

We work in line with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and can advise on how your hedge laying project may fit within Countryside Stewardship agreements.
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  • fast & reliable hedge cutting services

Frequently asked questions

Contact Anglian Land Services today to discuss your hedgerow. We’re happy to offer free advice, site visits, and no-obligation quotes.
Hedge laying, also known as hedge layering, is a traditional method of managing a hedgerow. Stems are cut most of the way through near the base and bent over at an angle, so the hedge keeps growing while forming a thick, low, stockproof barrier, with new growth closing any gaps.
Costs vary depending on the length, condition and species of your hedgerow, and on site access. We provide free, no-obligation quotes after a site visit.
Many landowners can access funding through Countryside Stewardship, including a Hedgerow Laying item currently paying £13.52 per metre. We can advise on the practical side of the work, though we recommend checking eligibility directly with the Rural Payments Agency or your land agent.
Hedge laying takes place during the dormant season, between November and March, when hedges are not in leaf and birds are not nesting. We recommend booking in good time before this window opens.
Hedge cutting and trimming maintain the shape of an already healthy hedge through regular seasonal cuts. Hedge laying rejuvenates an old or overgrown hedge by bending the stems over to form a new stockproof barrier from the base. Many hedges benefit from laying every fifteen to twenty years, with regular trimming in between.
  • What we do

Services we offer

Ground Maintenance

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Arboriculture

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Site Clearance

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Groundworks

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  • Get in touch

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Address

Tolleshunt Major, Maldon, UK

Phone

07928 685086

Email

chris@anglianlandservices.co.uk

Hours

Mon-Fri: 07:30-17:00. Sat-Sun: Closed.

  • Customer Reviews

What our customers say

Anglian Land Services provided a professional, polite and punctual team to complete my recent project. They were understanding in what I needed to achieve and suggested good ideas along the design process to help achieve this. When carrying out the work ALS worked safely and efficiently completing tasks. If changes had to be made, they were accommodating and worked with us to create the best outcome. I am very happy with their work and would highly recommend.

Ken Fry

Sudbourne, Suffolk

Anglian Land Services provide me with a friendly, approachable and reliable service for maintenance work at our stable yard. They’re always on time and easily contactable to discuss projects.

Michelle Frost

Hockley, Essex