Jun 23 2019

Fencepost Cedar

Well that’s what I call it. I’ve played with this tree for years watching it progress slowly. It adds a bit of colour in the display and despite all its faults I still like to stop and look it it, even though it’s usually to figure out what I’d like to change 😂

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some older shots of it over the years. Back when I made a Horlivka of the carving 😀

This was it in 2016

Jun 10 2015

Cedar Time

I have been working on this Atlantic Blue Cedar for a few years. I wanted one in my collection just for the colour and managed to salvage this one from a garden. It was originally 25 feet tall and it stall has a very tall feel to it but then those that know me know that I like tall trees. Not much taper, a bit of a fence post but I have always liked a tall tree with dropping branches.

This is it before I started work, branches had sprung up a lot since being dewired last year. The tree had fallen from a bench about 18 months ago and lost a large portion of the bottom branch on the right. This will take time to fil and now needed to be brought further to the front again.

This is it after wiring and styling. I added a few fine shari to the branches that had sprung the most. I’m hoping that this helps set them more permanently. I compacted the apex more and have used foliage to break the trunk line a little more.

Back on the bench adding that splash of colour.

For scale

I like the fullness of the restyled image. Almost shows the tree at it’s peak before it starts to go down hill, it happens to the best of us! It has put out decent growth since the last restyling and will hopefully continue to improve as an image.

Some older photos:

2009

2012

Feb 13 2014

New Pot Cedar

I missed the after shot of this Cedar from the workshop at the weekend. Better late than never.

Aug 19 2012

Try Try Again

I saved this cedar from the chop back in 2008. It was growing as a tall tree in the middle of a lawn. The owner wanted it removed as it was ruining the lines created by his lawnmower! There was 4 of them but this was the only survivor from collection. They had strimmer damage and very poor roots.

I wasn’t sure if it would even make a tree and to be honest the jury is still out on that point!! It is very straight and resembles a fence post. I don’t have the photos from the first shaping back in 2009. It was just branch selection and some primary branch wiring done to drop the branches.

A short time later I wanted to practice my carving and decided this would make a good practice piece. I wasn’t too worried about it and I thought that carving might add interest to the trunk and take away from the straightness.

You can see that I need the practice!! I then wired the tree to replace the branches at the right angles. This all took place over a 4 month period.

I wasn’t overly happy with the result. I considered lowering the height of the tree and perhaps creating a jinned apex like the virtual below. However, I wanted two tall trees that would eventually sit either side of a gate into the bonsai section of my garden. I have another one of a similar size and style and decided to keep it the full height. This meant keeping the cheat of an apex.

This is another virtual done back in2010

Yesterday I brought it into the garage and started to tidy up the weeds in the pot and and remove old needles. Before I knew it the wire was out again! Lots of growth in the last year with enough extension that I could hopefully improve the image. Branches have sprung up and needed to be brought back down again.

Me for scale.

After four hours this was the best I could come up with. I had to take it slow and steady with my dodgy shoulder but I got there in the end. I was able to use foliage to hide the bad apex.

Still a lot I’m not happy with but perhaps some day it’ll be worth all the effort. I do have a soft spot for that lovely blue foliage 🙂

Mar 8 2011

Rowallane Trees

My wife and I visited Rowallane Gardens, a National Trust Property, today. It is famous for its Rhododendrons and has loads of interesting trees to admire and learn from. Here are a few of the things that caught my eye today.

On the main driveway in is a row of old Cedars with lovely hanging branches. It’s a pity that the lower limbs are removed for safety. It would be great to see one this size without man’s input into it’s design.

One of my reasons for going today was to see if the large Prunus Incisa or Fuji Cherry was in flower yet. My small one is but alas, this one has a few weeks to go yet.

Another tree that I liked was this Fraxinus Ornus, a type of weeping Ash I think. I loved the Uro’s.

There was a few maples scattered around the grounds but needless to say, no leaves yet. This is a large one in front of the main house and a nice bit of colour on a Sengo Kaku ‘Coral Bark’ Maple too.