How can I rejuvenate a privet and hawthorn hedge?

I have a mixed hedge which is about 6 feet high. I think it is privet and hawthorn.

Currently, it is very top heavy in terms of the growth, and it has a lot of bare stems lower down. Please see the photographs.

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want to try and get the hedge to be bushy all the way down to ground level.

I've read about pruning back hard, which I take means to basically chop the whole thing down to within 12" of the floor.

However, I don't know if this is the right thing to do, especially at this time of year (April). There are buds appearing on the hedge, so I don't know if a hard prune down to ground level at this time of year would kill the hedge.

I've got no gardening experience, so I'm nervous at taking such a drastic step.

Please does anyone have any advice.

Reply to
NW Novice
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That doesn't look at all like hawthorn, looks like ordinary privet. Yes it can be chopped practially to the ground, and lop off completely the older wood.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

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