It will take around eight weeks to clip all the topiary ‘tumps’ back into their familiar cloud-like shape
Dan Bull in a cherry picker meticulously trimming the centuries-old hedges at a historic Welsh castle.(Image: SWNS)
A daring gardener, with a great head for heights, has embarked on what’s been dubbed the ‘world’s toughest gardening job’, He’s using a cherry picker to painstakingly trim the centuries-old hedges at a historic Welsh castle.
Dan Bull, the brave green thumb, will spend the next two months tackling the mammoth task at Powis Castle in Welshpool, mid Wales. To prune the towering 55ft (16m) yew hedge at the National Trust site, Dan uses a hydraulic cherry-picker and a pair of electric shears.
The meticulous process of shaping all the topiary ‘tumps’ back into their familiar cloud-like form and keep them in their immaculate condition will take around eight weeks. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
You need a head for heights to tackle this 55ft historic hedge(Image: SWNS)
The 15,000sq m of formal hedging dates back to the 18th century. It is regarded as one of Britain’s finest examples of Baroque garden design.
And it’s a tall task to keep them in shape.
Powis Castle and gardens are under the care of National Trust Cymru(Image: SWNS)
Describing his unique job, Dan said: “The views from the top are incredible.
“The vistas on foot from the top terrace are always breathtaking, so it’s even more spectacular from the top of the cherry picker.
“It’s not as scary as it looks, I’m harnessed in so I can move around easily and swap between the long and short shears.
“I really enjoy this annual job, it brings a great feeling of achievement and satisfaction once it’s competed.
“The tumps go back to their billowing shape, a bit like clouds, when they are fully trimmed so it’s always a rewarding job.
The hedge brings so much joy to our visitors which is lovely to see.”
The hedges date back to the 18th century(Image: SWNS)
Before modern cherry-pickers and hedge cutters, it took a team of 10 men four months to trim all the box and yew hedges at Powis Castle, a medieval fortress originally erected in 1200.
The teams then balanced precariously on long ladders, sometimes tied together and used hand held shears to maintain the towering hedges that overlook the 17th-century Italianate terraces – some of the largest in the country.
Read more: Sweeping beach in busy Welsh town is perfect for an autumn walk and even has a seaside sauna
Read more: 11 lush new pubs named among the best in Wales
The Herbert family, who lived in the castle from the 1570s, envisioned these grand hedges all those years ago.
(Image: SWNS)
Lady Violet, wife of the fourth Earl of Powis was responsible for restoring the gardens. She once claimed they had the potential to be ‘the most beautiful in England and Wales’.
The hedges were trimmed into small cones at first, but were then allowed to grow more naturally and tree-like as landscape gardening gained popularity towards the end of the 18th century, thanks to figures like Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
It’s no your average head trimming task(Image: SWNS)
The resurgence of formal gardening during the Victorian era saw the yews were once again clipped back, resulting in the unique shape visitors can still see and admire today.
Today, the castle and its gardens are under the care of National Trust Cymru.
Comments are closed.