A tree that has outgrown its spot can take the light from half a garden, lift a path, lean on a fence or drop leaves into the gutters every autumn. A hedge left for a couple of seasons can swallow a lawn. T J Landscapes prunes, lifts, reduces and fells garden trees, trims and cuts back hedges, and removes stumps, then clears everything away so the garden is usable again.
Tony and the team work from Pontypool across South Wales, on houses, rented homes and commercial grounds. Before any saw comes out we look at what the tree is, where it stands and whether it is protected, and we tell you plainly what we would do and why. Quotes and advice are free, so if you are not sure what a tree needs, ask us to have a look.
Most jobs are a mix of these. We will suggest the lightest cut that solves the problem, because a tree that is pruned well usually needs less work later.
Taking out dead, damaged, crossing or rubbing branches, and shaping a tree so it sits better in the garden. Done at the right time of year and cut back to a sensible point, pruning keeps a tree healthy rather than stressing it. Our guide on when trees should be pruned covers the timing.
Crown lifting removes the lowest branches so you can walk, mow or park underneath and more light reaches the ground. Thinning lets light and wind through the canopy, and reduction brings the overall size down. Each does a different job, as explained in crown lifting, thinning and reduction explained.
Where a tree is dead, dangerous, badly placed or simply too big for the garden, we take it down. In a tight back garden that usually means dismantling it in sections from the top rather than dropping it in one piece. Our guide to felling or pruning helps you weigh it up.
Fast conifers such as leylandii are often topped to hold them at a set height, and that works if it is done regularly. On many broadleaved trees, hard topping leads to weak, crowded regrowth, so we will usually suggest a proper crown reduction instead and explain the difference.
Regular trims keep a hedge dense and tidy, while a harder cut can bring an overgrown one back to size over a season or two. We work on privet, laurel, beech, hawthorn, conifer and mixed native hedges, and can lay a traditional hedge where it suits. See hedge trimming: how often and when.
A stump left behind can trip people up, sprout again, or sit right where you want a lawn or patio. Depending on its size and the access, we grind it out below ground or dig it out, then backfill the hole with soil so the area is ready for turf or planting.
Some garden trees are protected, and you cannot tell which by looking at them. A Tree Preservation Order can cover a single tree or a whole group, and work on a protected tree normally needs the council’s consent first. If your home is in a conservation area, you generally have to give the council notice before most tree work, even where no order exists. Older parts of towns such as Monmouth, Abergavenny and Chepstow are worth checking with particular care.
Birds are the other thing to think about. It is an offence to damage or destroy an active wild bird’s nest, and the main nesting season runs through spring and summer, roughly March to August. Hedges and dense trees are favourite nesting spots, so we check before cutting in those months and hold off if birds are nesting. Bats and their roosts are also protected, which matters for older trees with holes and cracks.
We are landscapers, not planning officers or solicitors, so treat this as general guidance and let the council have the final word. Our longer guide, do you need permission to cut down a tree in Wales?, goes through the rules in more depth. If you are unsure, tell us when you enquire and we can talk through what to ask.
It starts with a visit. We look at the species, its condition, how close it stands to the house, walls, fences and wires, and how we would get the cut material out. That last point matters more than people expect. On a valley terrace in Pontypool or Merthyr Tydfil, every branch may have to go down steps, along a rear lane or through the house, and we plan the day around that.
Then you get a clear quote that says what will be cut, how far, and what happens to the waste. On the day we protect lawns, beds and paving where we can, bring branches down in controlled pieces, and clear up as we go. Our guide to what happens on the day gives a fuller picture.
One honest limit: trees growing close to overhead power lines need the electricity network operator involved before anyone works near them. If a tree is too big or too awkward for us to take on safely, we will tell you so rather than attempt it.
Hedges give shelter, privacy and a home for wildlife, and in a windy Welsh garden they often do a better job than a fence. The trouble is that they keep growing. A hedge trimmed once or twice a year stays dense from the base up. One left for several years goes woody and bare at the bottom and spreads across paths and lawns.
Most hedges can be cut back hard and will regrow, but conifers such as leylandii are the big exception: they rarely sprout again from old brown wood. If a conifer hedge has got too tall and wide, it may be better to reduce it in stages, or to replace it with a new hedge or a fence. We will tell you which way we would go and why.
Where a hedge borders a neighbour, it helps to agree the height and who cuts which side before we start. For a rural boundary, a laid hedge can be a lovely long-term option, and it is one of the older skills we still use.
Straight answers and a clean garden at the end are what most people want. Our reviews on Google, Checkatrade and this site say a lot about both.
If a tree only needs a light prune, we will not talk you into felling it. If it genuinely has to come down, we will explain why.
We raise TPOs, conservation areas and nesting birds at the quote stage, before anything is booked, so nobody gets caught out.
Branches, brash and leaves are cleared and taken away, and paths and lawns are left clean, not just the tree cut.
Once the tree work is done, the same team can clear, pave, turf or fence the space, so the job does not stop at the stump.
Much of our tree work is for householders: a sycamore shading a back garden in Cardiff, a line of conifers blocking a view, a fruit tree that needs shaping. We also look after trees and hedges for landlords between tenancies, for small businesses, and for shared grounds around flats and offices.
On commercial sites the questions are much the same, with a few extras. We agree working times so staff, residents or customers are kept clear, fence off the area while we cut, and leave car parks and paths clean. If a managing agent needs a written quote and a clear description of the work for their records, that is no problem.
Taking out an overgrown tree or cutting back a hedge often changes a whole garden. Suddenly the lawn gets sun, a patio makes sense where it was too dark before, and a tired corner becomes usable. That is why tree work is so often the first stage of a landscaping project.
Because we do the rest of the garden too, we can plan the next steps alongside the tree work: a garden clearance for the rest of the overgrowth, new turf where the shade has killed the grass, a patio in the newly sunny spot, or repairs to a garden wall that roots have pushed out of line.
Real reviews from homeowners across South Wales — rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews and 10/10 on Checkatrade.
“Had my patio done by the company and could not be happier. Top quality work done and quickly too.”
“I was pleased to find Tony and his lads were absolutely great! Tony responded quickly & was very polite.”
“We were delighted with the work and materials, which were of very high quality. Tony and team helped us.”
Plain-English help with pruning, felling and hedges, to read before you book or while you decide.
Most gardens need more than one trade. The same team does all of it, so one visit and one quote covers the whole job.
We cover the towns below and the villages around them, across South Wales. Pick your area to see our tree surgery page for that town.
T J Landscapes South Wales
24 Conway Road, Pontypool
Torfaen, NP4 6HL
We cover homes right across South Wales, from Cardiff and the coast up to the valleys and the Brecon Beacons.
Usually not, but you do if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order, and you normally need to notify the council if you live in a conservation area. Check with your local council first. Inside the Brecon Beacons National Park, around Talgarth for example, the National Park Authority deals with this.
Many trees can be pruned in late autumn and winter, when they are dormant and the leaves are off, so you can see the shape. Some, such as cherries and plums, are better pruned in summer, and a few bleed sap if cut in late winter. Nesting season also limits hedge and dense tree work in spring and summer.
For conifer hedges and some screening trees, yes, and it needs repeating to hold the height. On most broadleaved trees, hard topping tends to produce weak, bunched regrowth, so a crown reduction is usually the better way to bring the height down. We will explain the options when we see it.
We take the green waste away as part of the job, unless you would like to keep some. Logs can be cut to length and stacked for a wood burner, though fresh wood needs to dry out for a good while before it burns well.
If you ask us to. Stumps are either ground out below the surface or dug out, depending on size and access, and the hole is filled with soil. If you plan to lay turf or a patio over the spot, it is worth having the stump taken out.
In general you may cut branches back to the boundary line, but not beyond it, and the tree must not be protected. It is usually wise to talk to your neighbour first and offer them the cuttings. If there is a dispute, get proper advice before any cutting.
It depends on the size and species of the tree, how close it stands to buildings and fences, how easy the access is, how much wood has to come out, and whether the stump is going too. The quickest way to a real figure is a free quote after we have seen it.
Tell us what the tree or hedge is, roughly how big, and what is bothering you about it. A photo helps. We will come back to arrange a free look and quote.
