Barry's mix of Victorian and Edwardian terraces and later estates means gardens of every size, and plenty of them hold a tree that has grown down as well as up. Crown lifting removes the lowest branches to raise the canopy. It clears the path, the drive or the window, and lets some light back in beneath the foliage.
We keep the lift modest, so the tree stays balanced and the sea wind does not find a weakness we have created. Cuts are made cleanly and sparingly, with the finished tree in mind rather than just the branch in front of us.
On a Barry terrace with a small front garden, a single drooping branch can brush the bay window, scrape the bin store or sweep across the pavement. On the larger estates it is more often a drive or a lawn that has been swallowed. Either way the fix is the same: take the lowest limbs back cleanly to the branch collar and leave the upper crown alone.
We start at the bottom and work up, removing as little as will do. Small branches go with a saw, while heavier ones are cut in stages so they do not tear bark on the way down. When the work is finished the tree keeps its natural outline and looks tidy, with clear space underneath that you can actually use, whether that is for walking, parking or simply seeing out of the window.
Conifers and Leylandii are common in Barry gardens, and they behave differently from broadleaf trees. They will not regrow from old bare wood, so we do not cut into brown, leafless stems. A conifer can be lifted only where the branches being removed still carry green growth, and where we cannot do that safely we will say so instead of making a damaging cut.
Salt-laden winds off the Bristol Channel make a tree work harder to stay upright, so we avoid stripping so much of the lower crown that the tree loses its balance. A good lift in a coastal garden leaves plenty of live foliage and a stable shape, and it can be repeated lightly over the years if the tree keeps growing, so the garden does not need a drastic job later.
Even a lift can need consent where a tree has a protection order or stands in a conservation area, and we check this with the council for every Barry job. We also avoid the nesting season, when birds are using the canopy. We cover Penarth, Rhoose, Dinas Powys and Sully as well, and all the cut branches and leaves are taken away once we have finished.
A few jobs we have completed. We also work in and around Barry.
We work across South Wales. Pick your town to see how crown lifting works locally.
Crown lifting raises the canopy by removing low branches, while crown reduction makes the whole tree smaller, so choosing the right one depends on your problem.
Read the guide →
Tree surgery is priced job by job rather than from a fixed list, so this guide explains what moves the cost up or down and how to get a firm figure.
Read the guide →
There is no single perfect month for every tree, but winter suits many species, and this guide shows how timing, nesting birds and weather affect the choice.
Read the guide →Sometimes, if the lowest branches still have green growth we can cut back to. Conifers do not regrow from bare brown wood, so if the lower branches are already bare, lifting may not work and we will explain the alternatives.
A modest lift should not, because the main crown stays in place. Removing too much of the lower tree can change its balance, which is why we keep the work measured and leave plenty of live foliage on the tree.
Lifting removes the lowest branches to raise the canopy and clear space underneath. Reduction shortens the outer branches to make the whole tree smaller. They solve different problems, and we can tell you which one fits your tree.
Tell us what needs doing and where. We will come back to you, or call 07766 919630 if it is urgent.
