Trees, tree felling and tree pruning

Trees, tree felling and tree pruning seem to absorb a disproportionate amount of  a garden designer's time. Lesley and I spend as much of our time discussing trees, tree felling, tree pruning and overgrown hedges as all the other garden design and horticultural elements put together! There is a logic about this in that trees are probably the largest design component in a garden.

And since the knowledgeable gardener's great mantra is ‘right plant right place’ it therefore figures that choosing trees and siting them requires great care. Badly selected trees can also get out of hand quickly, becoming a nuisance and even a danger to occupants, neighbours and passers by. But we often find that we are brought into design a garden where the previous occupants have quite plainly planted the ‘wrong tree in the wrong place’!

Here the old garden was claustrophobic and over - treed. And if you sat in the niche centre stage you were two feet from a huge furry, palm trunk. It was bad feng shui. And yes we really do believe all that stuff!

You know what? Someone's chi just got unblocked!

Views can also be an element that people feel very strongly about.

The previous owners of this garden obviously valued their privacy. They had two parallel hedges, one of overgrown leylands with a laurel hedge beyond. While we metaphorically held our client's hands......

the tree surgeon felled what was in effect a hedge of trees and exposed the views we all knew were there and longed to see. A glorious panorama of rolling hills, fields and woods!

When we are putting a new garden design in place the existing trees and their position may not fit the new design or required amendments to the garden.

Quite plainly this shady garden in Clifton

required some serious tree pruning:

in order that our clients could have the kind of garden they wanted from us:

As Thomas Church said 'Gardens are for people' and most people want a reasonably sized, sunny recreational space!

It is also the case that if you have half an eye on the future, when it comes to house sales most are won or lost on the trip up to the front door. Garden kerb appeal is all. If the front garden is gloomy you may have lost a sale before they've got up your drive!

Here, lovely clients were living in a very desirable area, but their immediate circumstances might lead you to feel that something ever so slightly sinister was going to happen. Especially if you have been watching too many late night movies. Queue some jangly and discordant music!

Whereas with our advice it became more a case of ‘let there be light’ and you know what?

Let there be decorative planting beneath as well. Even the rugby playing hunks in the house thought it was a huge improvement!

Of course in many situations where tree pruning and felling is tightly controlled (cities, listed gardens, conservation areas and the like) this sort of transformation is only achieved by application for tree works to the appropriate authorities and the making of a good case. In the last example our clients were quite sure that local residents and the council would not approve it.

However, we are used to dealing with both local tree officers and tree surgeons, used to putting in applications and are knowledgeable and persuasive advocates on our clients' behalf. We have horticultural training, qualifications and experience to botanic garden level etc. Of course we also have the aesthetic sense to advise on pruning which will be pleasing and the technical knowledge to know what is good for the tree.

Although we are obviously garden and plant lovers, people come first in our book. And we are adept at putting together a good case for what we know to be the best for both clients and garden. 

But it is not all destruction. We can of course also help you with what trees to plant so that you do not have this problem again! We have our ever ready shortlist of favoured small, well behaved trees which we like to use.

Our job is, as they say, about making a difference. Whatever the circumstances!

R