Where the Taff and Rhondda meet, Pontypridd's terraces climb the hillsides in steady rows, and many sloping gardens have a tree at the top or the bottom. Lower branches reaching over steps, sheds and rooflines are common, and lifting the crown is the tidy way to deal with them.
We remove the lowest limbs only, make clean cuts back to the branch collar and keep the tree in its natural shape. You get headroom and the tree stays healthy. Before starting we think about the slope, the access and the neighbours, because on a terraced hillside all three affect how the work is done.
On a slope, a tree can feel much lower than it really is. A branch that seems high from the lawn catches you in the face when you climb the steps beside it. Lifting the crown over the path, rather than just trimming the tips, gives clearance that lasts, and we check it from the top and the bottom of the steps because the view differs from each end.
In many Pontypridd gardens the tree also shades the only flat area, where the washing line, the bins or the seating sit. Raising the canopy lets more daylight reach that space, which helps in valley gardens that lose the sun early. It also keeps low branches from whipping against windows and gutters in a winter gale, and it makes the steps safer to use after rain, when wet leaves and low twigs are a nuisance.
Terraces in Pontypridd mean close neighbours, so branches that overhang a party fence come up often. We cut back to our own side of the boundary and take care not to drop material into the next garden. If the work would be easier from next door, we ask you first, so that you can speak to your neighbour before anyone steps over the fence.
The lift is done in a sensible order, lowest branch first, working round the tree to keep it even. Heavy limbs are lowered in sections on ropes rather than dropped onto the slope. Afterwards we clear up the garden and take the cuttings away, or leave the larger wood cut up if you want logs. Small sloping gardens leave nowhere to hide a pile of branches, so the clear-up is part of the job.
Before we cut a tree in Pontypridd we check whether a tree is covered by a preservation order or stands in a conservation area, by asking the council. Where a tree grows on land that is not yours, such as a bank behind the garden, we help you find out who owns it first. We also cover Treforest, Taffs Well, Trallwn, Rhydyfelin and Llantwit Fardre for crown lifting.
A few jobs we have completed. We also work in and around Pontypridd.
Bamboo RemovalWe cleared a dense clump of bamboo from a stone-filled wire planter beside a block wall in a Pontypridd back garden.
See the project →
Hedge TrimmingA very tall conifer hedge on a Pontypridd corner plot, cut back from the road with ladders, a long-reach trimmer and an on-site chipper.
See the project →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 →We can lift it back to our own side of the boundary and clear the overhanging branches there. Cutting beyond your boundary needs the neighbour's agreement, so we explain the position, what you are entitled to ask for, and help you raise it politely.
We secure our footing, cut limbs in sections and lower them with ropes so they do not slide down the bank. The route for the cut material is planned in advance, so your garden and the steps below stay clear while we work. Where a branch hangs over a path used by others, we warn them first.
It often does, because more light reaches the ground and grass has a better chance of recovering. Deep shade from the upper canopy will remain, though, and we will tell you how much improvement is realistic for your tree.
Tell us what needs doing and where. We will come back to you, or call 07766 919630 if it is urgent.