The sad story of the Corylus colurna, otherwise known as Turkish hazel. Used as clipped trees down the avenue in the meadow at Veddw.
But they were not thriving. Some were looking as if they were dying and some were doing fine. No good for an avenue where you need repeated identical trees. It has taken two years or more to bring ourselves to deal with the problem and this summer they just looked awful. There were problems apart from them being sick – they would always need clipping in mid summer, before we would cut the meadow. But this was impossible, given that the debris would fall all over the uncut grass and be damaging and messy to remove.
And time had expanded the borders at either end of them, so the end ones were too close to the path.
So
So today Jeff is doing the dreaded. And we have two rows of poles now.
One of the weird things about this whole business is that we asked lots of people what we might replace them with. What amazed me was how conventional the responses were. You know – replace with limes. With pleached limes… that sort of “you’ve seen it all before” kind of thing which is SO what I don’t want to do these days. Why do people want to see same old same old all the time? (I’d be grateful for some explanations here – it’s truly not a rhetorical question).
In the spring we went to the Hay Festival and heard Simon Schama. That was pretty good but what I was getting off on was this:
I could make them! I want to have trees like these down the avenue.
No-one else does.
So, we are currently looking at two rows of poles. And wondering whether to keep them. Maybe the trees will sprout all the way up and make green pillars? Maybe they won’t and we’ll just have trunks? It’s an interesting idea. To us. Though I’m not at all sure, really… Anyway, we have now decided to live with them like this for a while and see how we feel and what they do…..
What do you think?
What happened!? See here.
I have always wanted to lime wash tree trunks in a coloured mix…maybe dark blue, then lime again in a thin coat of white. White when dry, translucent and pale blue when wet….then eroding after a year or two for a new idea…
If replanting with other trees…what would I plant…and would I want it to do the same job in the same place? If I did I would plant hornbeam…or prunus Mahleb…or Betula Pink Champagne…or cockspur thorn…or Acer October Glory….or..or…or…this is like asking someone to choose a puppy from a litter for you, there are some jobs you just can’t delegate.
O, interesting. Painting……But no – I’m not going to plant with any other trees. Definitely NOT! XXX
On painted trees, there is this: http://houston.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/03-26-13-the-real-story-behind-the-blue-trees-in-houston-artist-corrects-the-record/#slide=0
Labor intensive, but… strip bark in varying width horizontal stripes to speed the killing, but also create a graphic effect. (Some paint might need to become involved.) Probably a one-year solution at best
I love those ‘Schama’ trees – why not create them each one a different shape – who designed the stage set ?
I’m thinking a framework around the trunks ? With fabrics or canvas.
Do the ‘Schama’ trees a framework around the poles infilled with textile or canvas in those different shapes.This is my second attempt at commenting not sure what happened to the first !
Both comments arrived. I love them too and that’s just the way I thought of them. I thought maybe of using a blow up of the 1880 local os map, and maybe some yummy fabric..Charles changes the subject whenever it comes up. Or talks about the problems…. Great to have someone share my vision. Don’t know who did the Hay ones.
Perhaps if you contacted Hay Festival organisers they could put you in contact with the designer. I was thinking steam bent timber framework with a durable fabric such as screen printed sailcloth . Perhaps the set designer could point you in the right direction ?
I was thinking (not much though – see reply to Pat) of doing them myself with wood and possibly well varnished fabric/paper. You are moving into impossible £££££s! Xxxx
I like the poles and can easily imagine them sanded to remove surface irregularities, followed by paint or varnish. I like the idea of colour as well as the idea of stripping the bark in different widths. I’m not sure about using different shapes. It could work but I think you’d need a strong element of uniformity. In the Schama photo, I find the large leaf shape very effective. The shape provides uniformity while variation comes through the different fabrics. The switch in that photo to a totally different leaf form doesn’t work for me. If you choose to create a different shape for each tree, I fear you will lose the impact of repetition…. unless the straight tree trunk remains the most prominent element in the design.
You’re right on all counts though the distinct lack a general enthusiasm has prevented me from even getting to contemplate which shapes to use. But if I ever did, yes, same one and different patterns. Definitely.
Ask yourself “What would the National Trust do?”. Then do anything else! Think hard about what you would make “Schama trees” from. They will need regular cleaning. Even plasticised fabric or full-blown plastic would mean a lot of ongoing labour. Would something DIY survive the washing machine for long? Why not get someone to make you some plastic branches with plastic leaves on them and then screw those onto the poles? Let me know when it’ll be safe for me to return to the UK. 😉
The Schama trees are really John Scaring Trees in disguise, you know.
My Population Gate and various cut outs (eg buzzards) seem to do all right and I have, I am pleased to say, had no offers yet from the National Trust. (However, I have never tried putting the buzzards in the washing machine…)
I want banners – multicoloured, waving in the wind, attached to poles wrapped in fabric. They wrapped trees down by the Millbrook nursery and they looked good for years.
Under consideration…….Xxxx
Oh I am sad for you but the opportunity for something else is immensely interesting. I’d wait to see if they spring back into some amazing new variation on their own habit. If they don’t I’d leave the “poles” in and spray paint them copper and use them as a support for something. I must come and visit you when I’m in the UK in January.
Support for… we think on…. Visit would be great except that I’m definitely in hibernation in January! #wrongmonth
I can’t tempt you out of hibernation for a mulled wine somewhere at the local pub? x
O….maybe…….!