A well maintained hedge provides privacy, shade, a lower temperature in hot summer months and a refuge for song birds. If a hedge is not properly maintained, it may slowly overtake your yard. About 4-6 inches should be trimmed from the face of a hedge each year.
For hedges over 15 feet we set up scaffolding so that we can trim as safely and accurately as possible. We lower the top of a hedge in stages so as to not shock the plant.