Amazing Acer Colours at Sizergh Castle

This gallery contains 26 photos.

Oct 11 2016

Video from Manchester City of Trees: Ancient Oak

In the 1960s my father-in-law Geoff Duckworth, was the assistance chief engineer for Ramsbottom District Council. One of his responsibilities was the construction of new roads as the town began to expand. The widening of Summerseat Lane was needed as a new housing Estate was in the planning, the route of the existing lane would have required the felling of an ancient oak tree. The idea of tree preservation was introduced in 1947 and was yet to be widely adopted throughout the United Kingdom. Read the rest of the story here

Oct 8 2016

How to secure a Tall literati tree in a shallow pot.

This is an article I first posted on IBC in 2010, worth a look. The tree is no longer in my personal collection.

This is a Prunus Spinosa that I collected on my 50th Birthday… it’s called ‘Fifty’ and it has been in this pot for 2 years. This Beautiful Duffett pot was fine to ‘bring on’ the tree but not a good choice as it is way to ‘chunky’.

: The original Duffett pot

: The original Duffett pot

: Here are the pots I have for this tree… on the left is Milan Klika and the right is Brian Albright, both would fit the tree well.

: I chose the Albright because of the ‘free form’ of the pot suited the movement of the tree.

: In preparing to pot this tree it would need to be stable, the root pad is not dense enough to simply wire into place and hold the tree in the pot so a little assistance in the form of a steel rod is inserted into the base of the trunk (under the soil line)

: getting ready to take the tree out of the pot

: There is an abundance of new root, none will be cut back as there is enough room in the new pot.

: A hole is drilled to accommodate the rod

: Here the rod is inserted and placed in the pot to ensure that the position is correct, the arrows show where the rod enters and exits

: 3mm Copper wire is used to secure the tree to the pot.

: The soil mix of Acadama, Alpine grit and Orchid bark is added

: Tying in the tree using the rod and the copper wire. the fix is very solid

: And here is how the tree fits into this fantastic Brian Albright pot.

: The soil level is good

: All told it took about an hour to do this tree, It would have been 10 times harder had my buddy not been there

How the tree looks today

Oct 6 2016

Han Kengai Yew second wiring and deadwood

I have been working this tree for 5 years, collected in 2011 its hard to imagine that this is the same tree. This is a photo when the tree was first potted up. the tree has been turned 180 degrees.

Take a look back at the tree in 2014

The tree has undergone two wiring, the second one today. Its been a process of building strength in the tree, developing branches and creating a dense foliage mass. I guess that it will be at least two more years before the tree is anywhere near showing. I have a lovely Gordon Duffet pot ready for the tree when it is potted next April/May.