Templemill Farm Cottage, CrieffMon–Sun 8am–6pm
info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk07475 783 877
Highland Tree & Garden Services
07475 783 877Get Free Estimate
Qualified tree surgeon climbing a tall conifer for sectional dismantling in Perthshire
Tree Surgery

Tree Surgery Across PerthshireFelling, Crown Reduction & Safe DismantlingBy Fully Qualified Climbers

A fixed-price quote — usually same or next day — from a fully insured, SEPA-registered team. No deposit. Site left clean. Guaranteed workmanship on everything we plant back.

16 verified 5-star reviews · Fully insured climbers · Free site visits in Perth, Crieff, Dundee and surrounding villages

  • 9+ years back in the trade (since 2017)
  • Fully insured — Public & Employers' Liability
  • SEPA-registered waste carrier
  • Fixed-price quotes — no deposits taken
  • Workmanship guaranteed on fencing, turf & plants
Overview

What tree surgery actually involves.

What it is

Tree surgery is the specialist work of shaping, reducing, dismantling or safely felling trees using climbing ropes, rigging systems and, where the site allows, a cherry picker. It covers everything from a single overhanging branch to a mature conifer that has outgrown a boundary or a storm-damaged limb hanging over a roof.

Who it's for

Homeowners with a garden tree that has become too big for the space, farmers with shelter belts to thin, landlords managing risk on rental properties, and commercial sites with duty-of-care obligations under the Occupiers' Liability (Scotland) Act. If a tree is on your land, the responsibility for it is yours.

When it's needed

Ideally before a problem develops — a leaning trunk, deadwood over a driveway, a canopy blocking light or lifting nearby paving. In practice most calls come after a storm, after a neighbour's complaint, or when insurers ask for evidence a tree has been properly maintained. We take both — planned and urgent work.

Why professional help matters

Working at height with a running chainsaw is one of the most dangerous jobs in Britain. A qualified climber uses rigging to lower sections in controlled drops, protects targets below, and knows when a limb is under compression or tension — the difference between a clean cut and a split that damages the tree, a fence or a person. It is not a job to attempt from a household ladder.

If it's left

What happens when this gets put off.

The reason people call us is almost always that the small job is now a bigger one. Here's what's usually happening under the surface.

Structural failure in wind

Overloaded canopies, decayed unions and inclusions catch the wind like a sail. In an ordinary Perthshire gale that limb — or the whole stem — comes down on a shed, a car or a neighbour's roof, and your insurer will ask what maintenance was done.

Property and drainage damage

Roots seeking moisture find drains, foundations and paving slabs. By the time a crack shows in a wall or a driveway lifts, remediation is far more expensive than the reduction or removal that would have prevented it.

Liability and TPO exposure

In Scotland a Tree Preservation Order or a Conservation Area designation makes unauthorised work a criminal offence. Cutting first and asking later can land you with a fine and an enforcement notice.

Botched DIY jobs

Topping a tree — cutting the crown flat — is one of the most damaging things you can do. It triggers weak regrowth, decay pockets and, within a few years, a bigger and more dangerous tree than you started with.

Common mistakes we're called in to fix

  • Hiring by day rate rather than a fixed quote — the job stretches, so does the bill.
  • Paying a deposit before any work is done. We take none.
  • Not checking insurance certificates — Public Liability alone isn't enough if there is a groundworker on site.
  • Skipping SEPA-registered waste removal — fly-tipping the arisings makes you the responsible party in law.
  • Topping a tree instead of a proper crown reduction, then wondering why it looks worse two years later.
Our process

Step by step, so nothing surprises you.

  1. 01

    Free on-site survey

    We come out, look at the tree, ask what you want to achieve, and check for wires, TPOs and access.

  2. 02

    Fixed-price quote

    Written price, usually same or next day. No deposit requested.

  3. 03

    Site set-up & rigging

    Drop zones marked, ropes and slings in place, targets protected — road, drive, glasshouse, whatever is below.

  4. 04

    Climbing & sectional felling

    Qualified climber takes the tree down in controlled sections, or we fell in one piece where the ground allows.

  5. 05

    Chip, load & tidy

    Everything chipped or logged, waste removed under our SEPA licence, site raked over, driveway swept.

Why book us

Specific outcomes — not vague promises.

Speed

Most quotes back within 24 hours. Straightforward jobs booked within the same week.

Safety

Qualified climbers, correct rigging, dropped targets protected — no shortcuts.

Longevity

Proper reductions and thinning leave the tree healthier and less likely to fail.

Cost certainty

Fixed price agreed up front. What we quote is what you pay.

Legal cover

Full Public & Employers' Liability held. Waste moves under our SEPA carrier registration.

Peace of mind

No deposit, no pressure, and a tidy garden at the end of it.

In detail

Tree Surgery — the full picture.

Tree surgery is a broad discipline. What is right for a mature beech in the middle of a lawn is not right for a leylandii boundary hedge that has run to 8 metres, and neither is right for a storm-cracked limb hanging over a public footpath. Below is the range of work we take on and how each is approached.

Methods & materials

Crown reduction

Selective shortening of the outer canopy back to appropriate secondary growth, keeping the tree's natural shape while reducing weight and wind sail. Cuts are made at nodes so the tree can compartmentalise the wound.

Crown thinning

Removing a percentage of the internal canopy to let light and air through without changing the tree's outline. Used on mature deciduous specimens in gardens where you want to keep the tree but reduce shade.

Crown lifting

Removal of lower limbs to raise ground clearance over a driveway, footpath or lawn. Common on limes, sycamores and mature Scots pine.

Sectional dismantling

Where a tree is close to a house, wires or a road, it is taken down in rigged sections rather than felled in one piece. Ropes and pulleys lower each piece to a controlled drop zone.

Straight felling

On open sites — farms, shelter belts, larger gardens — the tree is felled in one, then processed on the ground.

Stump grinding & removal

Where the stump needs to come out, we grind it down below turf level. On sites for driveways or extensions we go deeper.

Emergency & storm-damage work

Wind-thrown, split and hung-up trees made safe. We prioritise anything blocking access or over habitable roofs.

Variations we cover

Conifer removals (leylandii, Lawson, spruce)

The single most common call. Overgrown conifer hedges taken down to ground or reduced to a manageable height, with the option to grind stumps out for replanting.

Deciduous crown work (beech, oak, sycamore, ash)

Managed with an eye to the species — ash in particular is checked for dieback before any climbing decision is made.

Fruit tree pruning

Restorative pruning on old apple, pear and plum trees to bring them back into cropping.

Woodland thinning & shelter-belt work

For rural properties and small holdings across Perthshire.

Residential vs commercial

For homeowners the priority is usually appearance, light and safety around the house. For commercial and agricultural clients — landlords, holiday-let owners, farms and estates — the priority is duty of care, insurer evidence and getting the site cleared to a working standard. We handle both, and produce a written quote that stands up as a paper trail either way.

Regular tree surgery patches include Perth, Crieff, Comrie, Pitlochry, Auchterarder, Callander, Blairgowrie, Killin and Dundee — see our full service-area list.

See service areas
Recent work

Real tree surgery jobs across Perthshire.

A selection of photos from our own vans, crews and completed sites — no stock imagery.

Tree surgery project in Perthshire — image 1 of 25
Tree surgery project in Perthshire — image 2 of 25
Tree surgery project in Perthshire — image 3 of 25
Tree surgery project in Perthshire — image 4 of 25
See more in our full gallery
FAQs

Straight answers to the questions we're asked most.

Can't see yours? Give Andrew a call on 07475 783 877.

Related

Often booked alongside tree surgery.

Hedge Trimming & Removal

From annual cuts to overgrown-hedge rescues, all cuttings taken away.

Learn more

Hardwood Logs

Kiln-dried and fresh-cut hardwood logs. Free delivery within 10 miles of Perth.

Learn more

Soft Landscaping

Full garden transformations — planning, planting, clearance and finishing.

Learn more
See all nine services
Ready to book?

A fixed price for your tree surgery — usually within 24 hours.

Free site visit. No deposit. Fully insured. Waste taken away under our SEPA licence. Workmanship guaranteed.

Get My Free EstimateCall 07475 783 877

Mon–Sun 8am–6pm · Based at Templemill Farm Cottage, Crieff

Call NowGet Estimate