Don’t: mutilate your trees

Andrea Bellamy |

• WTF?

Oh dear.

Comments

1. Now that’s just sad, poor tree! Must say it would be a good landmark if you could descibe it :) I agree it’s definately a “Don’t”!

Comment by Wendy - March 30, 2008

2. The city I used to live in did this to all of their downtown trees to make room for the utility wires. It looked ridiculous.

Comment by jen - March 30, 2008

3. My neighbours(granted they are in their eighties)chopped 20 feet off the top of their blue spruce last summer, because they were worried that the tree might fall on their house. For the price, both financial and aesthetic, why not just take down the whole tree?

Comment by Paula - March 31, 2008

4. Hi Thanks for showing that. We have some very mutilated city trees in Minneapolis/ St. Paul too. But people are slowly becoming more aware.

   Nice Blog…The Rock and Roll Gardener

Comment by Neza - April 1, 2008

5. Wendy, Jen, Paula and Neza – it seems the consensus is that this happens everywhere, but no one likes it. Anyone want to argue that this is better than taking down the tree?

Comment by Andrea Bellamy - April 1, 2008

6. Definitely better, some green is better than no green. I see a tree mullet…business on the left, wild on the right. I think the don’t was not training it better to begin with. If only the utility companies had preemptive tree trimming strikes.

Comment by Joe - April 1, 2008

7. i feel embarassed for that tree.

   r.

Comment by robin - April 2, 2008

8. Sure they weren’t going for a topiary catcher’s mit effect? ;)

   I’ve heard this called “hortitorture,” which seems an apt description.

Comment by Mari Malcolm - April 4, 2008

9. Joe – “tree mullet” – I’m going to have to remember that one!

   Robin – I think it feels a bit sheepish, too

   Mari – “hortitorture” is a perfect word for it!

Comment by Andrea Bellamy - April 4, 2008

10. You should see the rest of the garden! It’s been there for years. If you’re ever in Kitsilano beach it’s just off Cornwall and Maple in Vancouver; it’s quite a sight.

Comment by mel - April 5, 2008

11. The Hydro people topped our row of trees (North Van) beneath the power lines and trim them regularly. They look ridiculous. But to cut them down, we need a permit, for which we’d be unlikely to be approved, and for which we’d have to pay.

    I do think some homeowners prefer an ugly barrier between them and the road/neighbour than no barrier at all.

Comment by Martina - April 5, 2008