Cat amongst the Pidgeons Time

[John Hancock]

If the tree is safe and the owner enjoys it, who am I to judge? Looks good to me….so does the semi-naked girl in the window…(top left)

[Amelanchier]

I dunno. I appreciate the "...its a tree, the ecosystem doesn' care what it looks like..." arguement

 

However, my gut instinct still says it was unneccesary.

 

Its all a bit bowing green lawn to me. Y'know the gardens that are immaculatley maintained, lawns clipped, roses pruned to within an inch of their life.

 

Strips the natural aesthetic out of the environment.

 

Something ain't right about it.

[scotspine1]

Take a trip round europe and see millions of trees managed in the same way.

 

What? butchered? I didn't know that was a recognised form of management.

 

I dont get why the guy couldn't just let the tree grow for about 15 to 20 years then do a light crown clean, this three yearly pruning regime is what's making it look so bad.

[Anna]

I think there is a big difference here between, the people who suddenly after years decide their tree is too big and cut it in half and this case. You can tell it's been maintained like this for some time and you can tell it looks Farley healthy. For some reason i think it actually looks quite beautiful! Purely because of the size of the trunk, it looks nice in the way a pollard looks nice if that makes sense? If it was me i would rather maintain it like that then not have it at all. If the tree is healthy who are we to rip down something thats taken so long to look grow in a matter of hours just because it's not been pruned the way it really should have been.

[Mr Ed]

What? butchered? I didn't know that was a recognised form of management.

 

.

 

Er, no pollarding. Ok, his is not done properly, but its achieving the same thing.

[Amelanchier]

If the tree is healthy who are we to rip down something thats taken so long to look grow in a matter of hours just because it's not been pruned the way it really should have been.

 

Ah no I wouldn't want it out.

 

But I wouldn't want another one.

[skyhuck]

I think the owner has the right to do what he wants with HIS tree,why should he lay awake at night worrying about his tree (and no one on here would have given him a written grantee that it would not fail)

I bet it looks great when in leaf.

I for one would have done the job if asked,I would of explained all the down sides to topping and lopping(which lets be honest is what been done)and tell him it would need to be maintained.

I don't think it looks as good as an untopped tree,but IMO is way better than a newly planted tree or no tree,this is as ever only my personal view :wave:

[RPA]

Didn’t Shigo (who would not entertain 'topping') say the only way to maintain a pollard tree was to implement a high coppicing policy? Is that not what the old man has done?

 

How it looks – or how an individual interprets its looks – is irrelevant. The tree obviously has a high value to its owner; it is being maintained and is safe.

[scotspine1]

Didn’t Shigo (who would not entertain 'topping') say the only way to maintain a pollard tree was to implement a high coppicing policy?

 

Shigo was referring to true pollarding in order to maintain the offensive knuckle shape, basically he was just trying to appease his european fanbase. As someone who spent more than half a century studying trees, I suspect the whole idea of pollarding did not sit well with him.

[Amelanchier]

I think the owner has the right to do what he wants with HIS tree...

 

Ok. I have a problem with this concept, (not picking on you directly huck).

You don't have a right to do what you want with your property.

 

• Think of cars - you can't (legally) drive on the pavement.
   
  
• Think of houses - you can't build a block of flats in your yard (without permission)
   
  
• Think of pets - you can't (legally) kick you dog in the face because it ate your invoice.
  

 

You don't have the right to do what you want to your tree IMO.