Achieve clean lines without stressing bottlebrush, grevillea or melaleuca.

Perth’s sandy soils and scorching summers make native hedges resilient—but the wrong cut at the wrong time can still invite die-back, borers or a council infringement. Our horticulturists share species-safe shape techniques so you get sculpted hedges that flower hard, shelter wildlife and survive heatwaves.

Shape techniques without plant stress

10-degree taper

Keep the hedge 10 ° wider at the base than the top. Sun reaches lower foliage, preventing bare “legginess” common in callistemons.

Two-step reduction

For overgrown natives:

1. Autumn: Remove ⅓ height, skip fertilizer.
2. Spring: Take final ⅓, add slow-release native pellets.
   Plants avoid shock and rebound with dense growth.

Feathered finish

Instead of a hard flat top, angle blades slightly upward and “feather” tips. Birds still perch; rain funnels to roots—not footpaths.

Avoid these five rookie mistakes

• Flat-siding with a brushcutter – Strips bark, invites Armillaria root rot.
• Cutting in 40 °C heat – Tissues brown; always prune < 30 °C.
• Fertilising after a heavy prune – Flushes weak water-rich growth; wait four weeks.
• Skipping soil wetting agent – Hydrophobic sands repel post-prune irrigation.
• Blunt blades – Ragged wounds = borer highway; sharpen every 10 linear metres.

Sustainability & council regulations

• City of Perth Verge Rules: Major hedge works require a “Pruning Notification” if > 20 % canopy removed.
• Die-back zones: Disinfect tools with 70 % ethanol moving suburb to suburb.
• Green-waste recycling: Native chips return carbon to sandy soils—request mulch drop-off free.

Explore all eco services on our Gardening Services Perth page.