Narrow back garden with grey decking, a fence on the right and a conifer in the distance — Long garden with timber decking, lawn and a tall conifer near the fence.

Tall dark green conifer growing against a wooden garden fence with ivy on it — The tall conifer up close, with ivy climbing its trunk beside the fence.

Tree worker in high-visibility clothing holding a chainsaw beside a partly cut conifer and a fence — A crew member with a chainsaw at the base while the conifer is cut down.

This Smethwick job was the removal of a tall conifer standing right against a garden fence, next to a raised deck. The tree had grown up into a thick column with ivy climbing its lower half. We worked from the garden, cutting it down in stages so nothing landed on the fence, the decking or the neighbouring properties.

What the photos show

The first photo looks down a long, narrow garden, with timber decking in the foreground and a lawn beyond. The second shows the conifer up close, tall and heavy with foliage, with patches of ivy on the trunk and the fence beside it. The third was taken part way through the work. One of our crew stands at the base with a chainsaw, and the upper tree is still standing.

Cutting a conifer beside a fence

A conifer this close to a boundary is not simply pushed over. It is normally taken down from the top in manageable sections, with each piece lowered or placed clear of the fence and any structures below. Dense conifers also hold a lot of foliage, so the green waste mounts up quickly and needs clearing as the work goes on.

In a typical Smethwick terrace garden there is little room to spare. If you are planning something similar, think about where the cut sections can be put, how we reach the tree, and whether a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area applies. The council can confirm this before any cutting starts.