Hedge Trimming & Hedge Pruning Sydney
Crisp, healthy hedges by qualified arborists — shaping, height reduction and full clean-up across St George, the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.
Hedge trimming and hedge pruning across Sydney
True Roots provides professional hedge trimming services across Sydney — from crisp formal hedges to overgrown screens that need bringing back under control. Qualified arborists, clean cuts, and a full clean-up every time, throughout St George, the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.
Regular hedge trimming keeps growth dense, even and healthy, improves privacy and street appeal, and stops a hedge turning woody and bare at the base. We shape and maintain box, lilly pilly, murraya, photinia, viburnum and conifer hedges, reduce height and width safely with pole and platform access, and carry out formative pruning on younger plantings so they fill out the way you want.
Every job includes tidy, controlled cuts, raking and removal of all clippings, and on-site mulching of green waste where it helps the garden. For taller hedges and trees we bring the same qualified, insured crew that handles our arborist work — so there is no height we cannot safely reach and no clean-up left behind.
Hedge services we provide
Hedge trimming & shaping
Routine and one-off trims that keep hedges crisp, square and dense — formal lines or natural shaping, to the height and profile you want.
Height & width reduction
Safely bringing overgrown or out-of-control hedges back into shape with pole and elevated access, without stressing the plant.
Screening and replanting
When a hedge is past saving we remove it, grind the stumps and plant advanced screening trees that suit the boundary — Lilly Pilly, Viburnum, Ivory Curl — so the privacy comes back fast. See tree planting.
Recent hedge jobs
A few recent hedge jobs — including hedge trimming in Cronulla and a front-hedge reshape in Oatley.
Overgrown and tall screening hedges
Privacy screens along a boundary often grow well above ladder height. We trim them from pole and elevated access, keep the face straight and the top level, and take every clipping away.
If a hedge has grown into a row of small trees, a hard cut in one go can leave it bare. We reduce it in stages instead, and tell you up front if a species will not reshoot from old wood.
Hedge too far gone? See tree removal and stump grinding, or our tree pruning and trimming page for screening trees.
How a hedge job runs
Free on-site quote
We look at the hedge, species, height and access, and give you a clear fixed price — no guesswork.
Clean cuts to AS 4373
Qualified arborists trim and shape correctly so the hedge stays healthy and grows back dense, not bare.
Full clean-up
All clippings raked and removed, green waste mulched or taken away, and the area left tidy.
Repeat trims
Optional scheduled trims so your hedges stay sharp year-round without you having to chase us.
Why book an arborist crew for hedges
Qualified & insured
AQF Level 5 arborists with $20M public liability and workers compensation — the right people for hedges, trees and everything between.
One crew, whole job
Hedges, tree pruning, screening and replanting handled by one arborist crew — one quote, one team, the site left clean.
Local & reliable
Mortdale-based and working across St George and the Sutherland Shire, with a 5.0 Google rating from 71 reviews.
Related services
Hedge trimming questions
How often should a hedge be trimmed in Sydney?
Fast growers such as lilly pilly, murraya, photinia and viburnum usually need two or three trims a year through the growing season, spring to autumn. Slower hedges are fine with one or two. Regular light trims keep the hedge dense to the ground and stop it getting away from you.
Do I need council approval to trim a hedge?
Routine trimming and shaping of a hedge does not need council approval in most Sydney council areas. Removing hedge plants, or cutting back large screening trees, can need a permit depending on the council size rules. We check before we cut and tell you if anything needs lodging.
Can you bring an overgrown hedge back down in height?
Yes. We reduce height and width with clean cuts to AS 4373. Big reductions are sometimes staged over two visits so the hedge recovers and greens up again. Conifers such as leylandii and cypress do not reshoot from bare wood, so we tell you before we cut how far back they can safely go.
Do you take the clippings away?
Yes. Every hedge job includes the clean-up: clippings raked, bagged or mulched and taken away, paths and lawns blown down. You are not left with a pile of green waste.
How is hedge trimming priced?
We give a fixed price before we start, from photos or a free on-site look. It depends on the length and height of the hedge, access (ladders, platforms, over pools or roofs) and how much green waste there is. No hourly surprises.
My neighbour’s hedge hangs over the fence. What can I do?
In NSW you can generally trim branches back to your boundary line, as long as the work does not need council approval and does not harm the plant. It is always worth talking to your neighbour first. Our guide to overhanging trees and neighbour rights in NSW explains the rules.
What our clients say
Real reviews from Sydney clients, quoted from our Google profile. Long reviews are shortened; tap Read more for the full review on Google.
Reviews …Really great service, professional, safe and accommodating. Difficulties of access easily overcome, good people to deal withRead more
David G.October 2026Jimmy and the guys were excellent at their job—very fast and very tidy. I highly recommend them, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again in the future. "True Roots" are the best.
Nomikos R.October 2026Removed 4 bunches of palm nuts and tidied everything up. Great job.
Matthew K.October 2026Jimmy and his crew were fast, efficient and professional! He was so helpful in removing a tree in our yard that was a safety hazard. I highly recommend True Roots and would not hesitate to use them again if needed.
Liz B.June 2026Jimmy and his team were excellent. Fast, reliable, well-priced and impressive work. Great to see such a good, local tree removal business and arborist in Mortdale and operating in the St George area. You will not be disappointed using these guys.
Jamie D.April 2026Great service! I liked how they cleaned up after they chopped down our tree. Efficient and very competitive pricing. I would happily book them again in the future.
Celia L.April 2026Jimmy and the two men working with him were professional, hard working and efficient with their time. They removed a large bougainvillea adjacent to the pool. I was very impressed with how well they did this, especially given how thorny it…Read more
Jan B.March 2026I recently hired True Roots to remove a large gum tree from my property, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their service. From the initial consultation to the final clean-up, the team of arborists were professional, efficient, and…Read more
Joseph2025Jimmy was amazing; right from the beginning, he was informative, professional and willing to work within our budget. We could not be happier with what he has delivered for us. We removed all our side trees and replaced them with hedges and…Read more
JJ2025Highly recommend the Team from True Roots, the boys came in and removed a Black Butt that was overhanging our house. Very competitive pricing and managed to squeeze us in. The stump was ground back and all waste was removed. Very professional and skilled workers. Will definitely use them again in the future.
Ben G.2024Highly recommend! James and the boys did an amazing job cutting down a large tree in my yard. Super professional, efficient, and left everything clean and tidy. Great service, and I’m really happy with the results. Will definitely call again for any future tree work! Thanks Andrew
Andrew M.2024Qualified, insured and accountable
- AQF Level 5 arboristDiploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524), TAFE NSW, 2024. About 15 years in arboriculture.
- ISO 9001 certifiedQuality management system certified to ISO 9001.
- $20M public liabilityPlus icare workers compensation. Certificates of currency sent with every quote.
- Australian StandardsTree pruning and trimming to AS 4373, tree protection on building sites to AS 4970.
- Indigenous-ownedOwned and operated by an Indigenous director. Registered NSW Government supplier on buy.nsw.
- 5.0 on Google71 reviews, every one from a real job. Read them.
Get a hedge trimming quote
From formal box hedges in Oatley to privacy screens on the North Shore, one insured crew handles the lot.
Hedges: what needs a permit and what does not
Hedge trimming is exempt from tree controls in both councils, so regular shaping of Lilly Pilly, Murraya and Viburnum hedges needs no application.
Hunters Hill allows hedges to be cut back by up to 500 mm without approval; heavier reductions and removals are checked against the council’s exempt list first.
A 6 m Lilly Pilly is a tree, not a hedge. We reduce it in stages to AS 4373 so it recovers, or remove and replant with screening trees if it is past saving.
Hedge reductions run $800–$4,000 ex GST depending on length and height; removal and replanting is quoted as one fixed price. See tree planting.
Call True Roots or send a photo of your hedge and suburb, and we’ll give you a clear, fixed quote — fast.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need done and we will call you back to arrange a look. Every job is assessed individually - no two trees are the same.
Urgent or unsafe tree? Call 0422 023 242 - we answer 24 hours.