Crown reduction in Forest Hill & South East London

Crown reduction makes a tree smaller in height and spread while keeping its natural shape. It’s the most common job we do in South East London gardens, where trees have often outgrown the space: blocking light, hanging over a neighbour’s garden or growing too close to the house.

Done properly, a crown reduction is not topping. We cut each branch back to a smaller side branch that can take over as the new tip, so the tree keeps its shape and recovers well. Topping, where branches are simply cut off at a set height, leaves weak regrowth and decay, and we don’t do it.

Eucalyptus crown reduction in Brockley

When a crown reduction helps

• Letting more light into the garden or the house
• Pulling branches back from a neighbour’s garden, a roof, gutters or the road
• Taking weight off a tree with a weak fork, decay or other defect, often after an inspection
• Reducing the wind load on a large tree close to buildings
• Keeping a tree at a manageable size, usually with a repeat reduction every few years

How we do it

We visit, look at the tree with you and agree how much to take off, usually set out in metres for the height and the spread, so you know exactly what you’re getting. In most cases we give you a price on the day and email the written quote after the visit.

Our climbers work to British Standard BS 3998 (Recommendations for tree work), making each cut at a suitable growth point. We check for nesting birds and bats before starting, and all the cuttings are cleared and chipped, leaving the garden tidy.

Most trees can be reduced at any time of year, but some are better left at certain times. Birch and walnut, for example, bleed sap heavily in late winter and spring. We’ll advise on timing when we quote.

Protected trees: if the tree is in a conservation area or has a Tree Preservation Order, we handle the council application for you, free when you book the work with us. See TPO & conservation area applications.