| Re: Arborsculpture
Hi Jez, nice subject.
For many years I've been "knitting" shoots and growths on young trees to form interesting and weird shapes. It all started when I was a forestry student weeding a plantation of douglas firs. I came across a double leadered fir and tied it in a simple cross over knot. The next year, it was still in place and the two leaders has grown upright again. Again, I crossed them over and that was the last I saw of the tree, I still wonder how it looks now.
Live willow sculptures are good fun and can be used in schools and play areas. They are quick to establish and very "tactile".
My latest experiment is a damson tree in my garden grown from local seed (Westmorland). Branches have been curved round by tying down with string but I've struggled to shape the tree as it has sent out sun shoots which I cut down on Saturday.
I've also got a yew that I've grown from seed, now 17 years old, and I've had some real fun with that one. The branches are really strong for their diameter and I tried to bend one by cutting it half way through. It was all going well until the strong winds last year when the cut snapped and I lost the shape of the tree. One cut branch is doing well however. It is occluding nicely.
I don't know if this is the sort of stuff you are thinking about, let me know.
John  |