Six things, and the cheapest of them is the phone call to the council.
Check whether it is protected, check for wildlife, establish the species limits, get the right season, agree exactly what is coming off, and think about what the garden looks like afterwards.
The first of those is free and takes a phone call, and it is the one that can turn a routine job into a criminal offence.
Mature trees in established residential areas are more likely to be protected than most people assume, particularly where they contribute to the character of a street. A large tree that has been there longer than the current owner is exactly the kind that attracts an order.
| Tree | Tolerance of cutting back |
|---|---|
| Lime, sycamore, willow | Tolerant; regrow vigorously |
| Ash | Tolerant |
| Oak | Tolerant but slow; prune conservatively |
| Beech | Moderate; better lightly and often |
| Birch | Poor. Dislikes heavy pruning |
| Cherry and plum | Summer only — silver leaf and canker risk |
| Conifers | Poor; no regrowth from bare wood |
As a general principle, around a fifth to a quarter of the crown is a sensible maximum in one operation on a healthy tree, and less on a mature one. Mature trees have committed energy reserves, close wounds more slowly, and are more prone to decay at large cuts.
Tell us what you need and we will arrange a free quotation.
On a larger established garden a mature tree is usually a defining feature rather than an obstruction, and cutting it back changes more than its own appearance. Light levels shift across a wide area, planting that has grown up in its shade may struggle, and the tree's relationship to the rest of the garden — the framing, the scale, the sense of enclosure — changes with it.
Which is why a conservative first operation, lived with for a season, usually produces a better outcome than one large intervention — for the tree and for the garden it sits in.
This page is general guidance rather than legal advice; the council is the authority on what applies to your particular tree.
See what our tree surgery service covers in Henleaze, or read more about the service across the areas we work in.
Whether it is protected, wildlife, what the species will tolerate, the right season, exactly what is coming off, and what the garden will look like afterwards.
Ask Bristol City Council, which holds the Tree Preservation Order register and conservation area information. It is free and should be the first thing you do.
More often than people assume, particularly where they contribute to the character of a street. A tree older than the current owner is exactly the kind that attracts an order.
Around a fifth to a quarter of the crown in one operation on a healthy tree, and less on a mature one — their wounds close slowly and large cuts invite decay.
Cherry and plum, to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker. Birch, maple and walnut prefer late summer because they bleed sap in spring.
Both are protected. Nesting birds from around March to August, and bats use cavities and loose bark in mature trees year-round.
Light levels shift across a wide area, shade planting may struggle, the lawn beneath usually improves, and the garden's proportions change.
Usually not. A conservative first operation, lived with for a season, produces a better outcome for both the tree and the garden.
Need tree surgery, hedge maintenance, fencing, garden clearance, turfing or power washing? Complete the form and tell us what work you require.
