Garden Dilemnma: Love trees but need to chop them down ... Help! :)

10 years ago

Hi all, we're about to embark on a refurbishment of the house and want to renew the garden also.

The issue we have is that we have some large trees which we love looking at. However they have grown so large now that they are blocking sunlight, we worry about future subsidence issues, and they have just become unmanageable. They now block sunsets which we get directly at the back. Would be great to bring those back.

We want to update to a fairly modern garden. A place to grow vegetables, a wide shed at the back, manageable fruit/decorative/nature-friendly trees.

Can anyone see a vision for that type of garden which doesn't involve chopping all/most of the evergreens down and replanting different trees?

We have concluded that that is what we need to do that to update it. However we are quite attached to them and averse to chopping down any trees, really.

We thought about trimming the trees but reckon it's not going to work.

Any ideas appreciated,

Featured Answer

wyndyacre

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

Consider cutting down a few key evergreens, to regain your view and let in some sun and then trim the others UP, from the bottom, to a height that allows you to see the sunset but still retains some privacy and wind break. Really think about and plan for which will attain your goal. Think about which way the prevailing winds come from, where the trees cast their shade and where your garden will be, where are there roads or neighbours you would like to shield your property from.

Mature trees are valuable to your property and landscape too. It won't hurt to go slowly, think about which trees to cut and which to not and then make some changes. It doesn't have to be all done at once. If you decide more needs to go, continue with some pruning again next year.

The leaning tree appears to be a deciduous tree....is it alive, is it a fruit tree, is it an ornamental flowering tree? No reason to immediately cut it down if it brings you pleasure in some way. If you decide to keep it, brace a pole under a point on the trunk to give it some support until you decide it needs to go. You can prune some branches out of it...any dead wood and prune some branches out of the middle to lighten the load and allow light into the branches.

When you are done any cutting and pruning you decide to do, wood chip the whole area under the trees and against the back fence. It will tidy the area up, you won't have to get a lawn mower under the trees and it will stop weeds from growing and retain moisture for the trees.

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Comments (7)

Diane Land
10 years ago
Not sure if all the huge pines are on your property? I would definitely take down the tree that is leaning. If the pine to the left of that tree is yours, it could come down, leaving the one near the corner. That would open up for some sun to come through. Hard to tell what is next to your shed...more pines? If yes, they surely need to be thinned out. Perhaps you can take down every other one. But if you want to grow veggies you will need lots of sun, so decide what it is you truly want and work from there.
xjoey321 thanked Diane Land
shirlpp
10 years ago
That tree that is leaning needs to go. It is hard to tell how many trees you are referring to. I'd get rid of a few evergreens, but not all of them.
xjoey321 thanked shirlpp
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ritting28
10 years ago
The view is important, and so is a sunny garden spot. I'd cut down the evergreens and plant new ones in a better place.
xjoey321 thanked ritting28
auntthelma
10 years ago
Consult an arborist. He might be able to prune the trees so that they live and you get your view.
xjoey321 thanked auntthelma
PRO
Roanoke Landscapes
10 years ago
This is a message from our Head Horticulturist and if you have the time to answer the questions he is happy to give you some suggestions.

Can’t say whether or not to cut
the trees down but I do have questions that should help determine a solution.
What is your real goal(s)- sunsets,

screening or views vs
better quality sun to grow vegetable? Most vegetable require at least 6 hr. of
sun to preform well.
- Can you thin
  canopies if the evergreens to improve light quality?
- If not, which
  tree(s) absolutely have to be removed?
- Will raised garden
  beds work someplace else in the yard- different vegetable gardening
  method-which can yield
100’s of pounds of fruit.
- Why not incorporate
  vegetables in existing planting beds-where the is plenty of sun. Lettuce would
  make an excellent ground cover.
Blue berries provide 3 season of interest in the landscape- white blooms, blue
fruit and new stem growth is red into late Fall/early Winter.

Your landscape is your own-make it meet your needs. It does not
matter what anyone else thinks-well maybe your significant other’s

opinion is important.
- Shed can go anywhere
  –sun or shade.
What’s your goal?
xjoey321 thanked Roanoke Landscapes
xjoey321
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks everyone for some fantastic replies.

Diane: your suggestion is similar to where we are at the moment. Leaving the one in the corner. All the trees our

shirllp/ritting: Yes, the leaning one is very likely to go. We love it for it's blossom but it seems to produce too many rotten fruit. Possibly we're not looking after it well enough. We love it's blossom though so a sad choice if it has to come down.

wyndyacre: the pics of your garden are brilliant. Appreciate the advice. The go slow idea works. The tree in the centre is an apple tree. The support and trim idea is good. Not sure, it's very old and tired. Maybe if trimmed right down it would work. Will think about it.

Roanoke: great questions, thanks. Thinning the canopies is an idea and might help us keep a few of the trees. Raised garden beds: definitely. Would love to do that. Blueberries 3 season, lovely. Which trees to come down? All can come down. And as someone said, at least every other at the back. And quite possible all of them to the left. Unmanageable evergreens. Whatever we do, we'll add back smaller manageable trees. The goal is just a beautiful garden but haven't worked out the design yet. Early days. Significant Other's opinion is important! Haha, she's the one who wants to chop the leaning tree down. I'd like to save it! Compromise, I guess :)

Thanks, again! Great to get a second opinion