Arborowen

It seems to be a favourite in new Zealand. The property I was visiting was previously owned by a keen international gardeny botanist type. There is random stuff all over. Mostly identifiable.

It's not :-)

Yes I've not come across anything like it before compared to the pittosporums commonly planted as hedges/shrubs the leaves are giant. Something about the leaf margins and segmented fruit suddenly said Kahuhu to me! Mental. Literally the high point of my week.

solved Pittosporum Ralphii

Should have taken more hotos really, normally i can find out what things are but this is so far beyond anything ive seen in my travels. kinda hoped i could find out. Cucumber tree seems to be a term for several types of magnolia as well as other trees that have flowers or fruit resembling cucumbers, none of which look like my sample. Skimmia is too small and im familiar with it. Anyone with any other suggestions?

Any help on identifying this one. normally i'm helping others but today this one is from one of my sites. completely stumped. Looks a bit magnolia like or olive, stems and leaf backs are v.glabrous. thick fleshy leaf and strange fruits.

i thought it was!!!! Mental. guess that the coastal tolerance and tasty berries lend them selves well as a street tree in a more upright form. Hillier Trees

Looks like a giant version of sea buckthorn? its got both myself and one of my colleagues stumped. Was in a mystery (grot hole) location in London. only one pic. ???

I think given the extent of visible decay a reduction will be on the cards minimum not sure to what extent though. However I fear a more risk-phobic treatment will be requested.

Crispy as can be crumbled in the hand, David.

After a quick second opinion on remains of bracket on oak. Looks to me to be inonotus dryadeus. Esp due to nature of decay present on roots of one tree in particular. Thoughts welcome. O

OMG that's wise! We did have a final Friday fail when one side of the safes hinges opened and inverted. To fix we bent the stopper back with a farmers jack as it wasn't stopping the inversion. Exciting stuff!

Complete using a combination of all your suggestions. It was the biggest heaviest Christmas cracker puzzle I've completed! Thanks for the help. I did nearly cut myself in two at the hip during this so I quickly learned to prop the lid! Cheers all.

All really good suggestions ill see if I can get some wire rope or high tensile wire and make a tool to help. Our lads fingers thank you all! Cheers

No spring become heavily tensioned when closed but also require tension to link when open. The small amount that is required when opening is impossible to apply by hand so some sort of lever appears to be the logical solution.

Tried that too, the little We shaped widget at the bottom won't hold on when levering but using that method is as close as I've got so far :-)

I see you thinking. I think it would be difficult as the springs need to be under tension. I'll give it a go but not sure I'll be able to line up once springs are mounted. Or am I being a big girl?

After trying to make out chaps live a little less 'french revolution' when closing the fuel safe in the morning. The springs came off one side somehow eons ago and have never been put back on. I think due to how unbelievably hard it is. Anyone have any ideas. Kinda need the opposite to a spring compressor thing a mechanic would use to replace suspension springs. Your thoughts welcomed. Our

Yum! Better not tell me where that is David.

After a quick identify on this bracket found on an oak today. I'm thinking Inonotus dryadeus would be interested in opinions. Found on an abiotic scar to oak field boundary tree in Sussex.

Would you think it necessary to reduce further? I guess if the base fully turned to mush then it might come over as there would be sound heavier wood further up. Very low risk now though surely?

Thanks for your replies guys. I believe I will provide the client with a quotation to remove the tree but also supply this with a brief letter detailing what we've found, what we've done so far and some management options explaining why I feel the tree could be retained and an idea of what managed decline would involve for his tree. Sadly this is one of this scenarios where ultimately the tree can't really be allowed to complete its life cycle.

I'd be terribly interest in some opinions about a copper beech I've known for a couple years. In 2013 the tree was noted to have Meripilus. A small palm sized expression which didn't get very large, (I'm aware this isn't necessarily and indication of extent of decay). I will have to dig out the original photos. after lengthy discussion with the owner it was decided to reduce the tree. It was agreed that in the following year the owner would monitor fungal activities. Here we are in 2014 and it's all over the place! It's a copper beech that I'd estimate to be at least 200 years old. Primarily due to the age of the property and documents that speak of the tree, (not my telepathic dendrochronology). I am interested now given the increase in activity, future management recommendations. I'm keen to give the owner all the information he should need to make the decision that's right for both himself and the tree. Although I'm pretty sure it will all come down in the end I think I'd be happy to leave it standing for a while. It survived January and this is a fairly coastal downland locale. The xion has some bark necrosis on the side of the fungal activity and using a sounding hammer a hollow can be noted in the central stem possibly resulting from the historic branch removal / inclusion. I've intentionally not talked about targets. Let's hear what you all have to say :-)

The offender

Return visit for Tony and David. Turns out it was just some ivy on the tree in the background Mr Croft. I won't go into my recommendations here. Might post elsewhere though.