When is the best time to prune trees and cut hedges?

Most deciduous trees are best pruned in late autumn and winter, when they're dormant and you can see the branch structure clearly.

Cherries, plums and other stone fruit are better pruned in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease. Walnuts and birches 'bleed' sap in spring, so are best done in late summer or autumn.

Formal hedges such as privet, laurel, beech and leylandii usually need one to three cuts a year, from late spring to early autumn.

Avoid hard cutting in very hot, dry weather, and don't cut leylandii back into old brown wood, as it won't regrow.

March to August is the main nesting season. Work can still happen, but hedges and trees must be checked first, and any active nest left undisturbed.