Climber in orange trousers and helmet standing in a large conifer with a ladder propped against a garden fence — Climber working in the conifer with a ladder against the fence

Pile of cut conifer branches on the lawn with a climber working on the remaining tree beyond the fences — Cut branches heaped on the lawn while the climber works on the stump

Open back garden with patchy lawn, new close-board fencing, rotary washing line and a sandstone-look patio — Cleared garden with fresh fences, lawn and patio after the conifer had gone

Large dense conifers behind the fence at the end of a garden, with play equipment stacked against the fence — Full-height conifers at the end of the garden before work began

These photos follow the removal of a large conifer from a back garden in Solihull, from the full-height tree through the felling stages to the open lawn afterwards. A climber worked up through the branches and took the tree down in pieces over the garden fences, with children's play equipment moved out of the way beforehand.

Taking it down piece by piece

A conifer of this size grows close to fences and neighbouring gardens, so it is not felled in one go. The climber cuts from the tree, lowering or dropping branch sections to the lawn. The pictures show the climber working in the foliage with a ladder against the fence for access, and later a heap of cut branches spread across the grass.

With the tree down to a stump, the cut branches are sawn up and cleared from the lawn, and the timber is logged. The stump can be left low or ground out by arrangement, depending on what you plan to do with that part of the garden afterwards. Everything is cleared before we leave.

Preparing the garden

Before work starts, anything fragile or in the way should be moved. Here, play equipment was stacked against the fence on the left, which also gave the crew clear working space. The ground at the end of the garden shows bare patches after the work, which is common once a big tree and its shade are gone, and these can be reseeded.

The last photo shows bare patches on the lawn after the work, which is common once a big tree and its shade are gone, and they can be reseeded. In Solihull, trees in conservation areas need notice to the council before felling and protected trees need consent, so it pays to check first.