Care for tree Leylandi?

[LinziB]

Hi there, I’m looking for some advice on a tree in my garden. I’m not even sure what it really is, but I think it may be a leylandi?

My query is, is it possible to trim it down and have it “green” again or is it a lost cause completely? I appreciate any answers. Thanks.

[Plot70]

You are right about what it is
It looks like it has been cut back already and has got a bit of disease.
I planted a bay tree in a location like that and it has taken to being trimmed much better as well as producing bay leaves that would be worth thousands of pounds at supermarket prices. The compost heap gets most of them.

[ameno]

That's not a leylandii. That's a blue cypress, most likely a variety of Chamaecyparis lawsonia. They're slower growing than leylandii, although will still get pretty big eventually if left unchecked.

Almost without exception, no conifer can be cut back to brown wood and be expected to live. They will never grow new leaves from brown stems. So all you can do is lightly trim it, making sure to cut only to what is still green.
Those bits which are already brown are likely down to a previous over-zealous pruning attempt. They will never green up again.
You could still make it a nice, more symmetrical shape with some work, though. Although it would be a fair bit of work. My advice would be to remove all remaining green material lower down to the same height as that current bare patch, leaving only green at the tops. Then remove all of the little tiny brown side branches on the now brown area to leave only the bare, thick, vertical branches. I think the long, bare branches with pom-poms of blue-green on top would look quite nice. It would probably also be wise to give the top bit a light trim while you are at it, but only remove 2-3 inches all over.

[Nicos]

I love your idea of pom-poms ameno !
Taking it one step further you could build a painted wooden square frame around the base so it looks like it’s growing in a tub so as to make it even more of a feature.

Out of interest - what’s it like on the far side? Would your neighbours have a say in what you do with it?
As it stands it is a bit of a screen.

[nickdub]

I'd get rid of the tree and plant something which was better suited to the space. I'm not a fan of cutting large plants back to make them fit - too much work for one thing.

Wintersweet - large shrub up to 4m - lovely scented flowers open now

Amelanchier canadenensis - small tree - white flowers for the bees, berries for the birds and good autumn colour.

[LinziB]

Here is the other side. Thanks for the suggestions. I do like the privacy it offers from next door, it means they don’t have a direct view at my door. An important consideration when you live next door to your parents 😂 I think the upkeep will be too much for me to manage however!

[Babru]

Sounds like ameno is suggesting cloud pruning. I visited an open garden last summer where the owner had cloud pruned a conifer. She said it hadn't looked very nice, so was coming out. She cloud pruned first, to give it a go on something that didn't matter - and it looked amazing. Cloud pruned trees cost a lot of money, and you've nothing to lose.

Here are some https://www.paramountplants.co.uk/bl...-pruned-trees/

[LinziB]

Love that idea!