Tree pollarding in the Dane John Gardens

Work to pollard the avenue of lime trees in the Dane John Gardens starts next Monday (6 October).

Pollarding is a common approach to tree maintenance that involves pruning the higher branches of a tree in order to manage its health and size.

The park’s lime trees are routinely pollarded every few years on safety grounds, to prevent branches from dropping.

Many thousands of people walk along the avenue through the Dane John each year (in normal times, but not currently while the park is closed for its ongoing revamp) and the council has a responsibility to keep them safe.

Pollarding may initially look like a harsh treatment, but new shoots soon start to appear and the process actually encourages subsequent strong growth.

The work in the Dane John will take around two weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Published: 2 October 2025