Topiary is not an art form that I feel comfortable criticizing. I may not be crazy about the results personally, but the vision is in the eye of the creator. I've known several wonderful people who were addicted to topiary and it was always great fun to visit their whimsical work. I created and maintained a good sized bonsai collection that wasn't universally understood nor admired.

The 'lunch break ' tree is, sadly, an example of terrible utility pruning (you can see the overhead wires) . Even when done properly, however, utility pruning is done for safety and efficacy, not aesthetics.

The goals of utility pruning is to keep branches clear from overhead wires so that there is uninterrupted service and to keep people safe. The workers would FAR rather just take the trees down, but are often refused permission to do that. Many communities know the benefits of shade covered streets.

Proper pruning cuts can redirect tree growth, making it possible for utility tree workers to visit a tree far less often for maintenance. A community protected by a tree ordinance with some teeth in it is able to prevent improper utility pruning.

Topiary is not an art form that I feel comfortable criticizing.

-====>>
i agree .. with enough mind stimulants.. and a pair of hand pruners.. all the power to ya .. as to what you want to do with your own plants ... just dont come over here and do that to mine ....

as to idiots planting hundred foot trees under 30 foot power lines... well.. i blame the idiot.. not the power company .. if it were me.. i would simply cut them all down.. owner be damned for violating the EASEMENT ... and no homeowner would be happy with that ...

BUT!!!!... some of your pix.. look like owners simply had the trees topped... and those are the ones that make me sick .... the tree guy.. who said.. sure i will take your money.. and rape your tree for you.. and please do call me back when it dies.. so i can make another boat payment or two ...

thx for the pix.. they are the start of a great conversation .... dont think we are criticizing your position ... if you dont like it.. all the power to ya ....

have a great day ...

ken

"look like owners simply had the trees topped... and those are the ones that make me sick .... the tree guy.. who said.. sure i will take your money.. and rape your tree for you.. and please do call me back when it dies.. so i can make another boat payment or two .."

ROFL!!

So true Ken. There's a new development on the way home from work where the developer installed approx 40 Eastern White Pines a few years ago, directly under power lines. This is especially dumb since there is at least 80' of property behind them until the development starts...it just results in tortured looking trees in the future. In our area, they started cutting the trees back from hanging over the road...even when there are no power lines. It's terrible, as if a tree over hanging the road poses any threat. I had a fit when I saw that.

It really frosts me too when the cheapy tree companies the power companies use just cut a branch in half and then leave a leafless branch that's 8' long protruding from the tree....just cut the whole darned thing off!!!!

The worst is, people think topping is something you're "supposed" to do, because they see others do it.

You'd think someone, even with little tree knowledge would look out one day and say "gee, that tree looks ugly like that, I don't want to do that to my tree".

I think there are millions of people who don't know anything at all about trees. Which is very sad.

This is a nice one. I love the orange plastic caution tape wrapped around it.
{{gwi:459731}}
A topped palm tree has to be my favorite. Did they think it would branch out?
{{gwi:459732}}

There is a membership organization devoted to this subject area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Amnesty

Great pics! I have mutilation pictures too! I've posted some of them here before. I get a kick out of taking these shots, and just gotta shake my head....

Most of these were taken in my own neighborhood. One neighbor is constantly hacking away at his trees - loves to limb them up to ridiculous heights and topped the birches. He limbs up ALL the trees, but it's particularly egregious on the conifers.

Two of the 5 trees in this row have since toppled during storms. I think it's partly because they're too top heavy -
{{gwi:344447}}

These poor birches were topped about 4 years ago and are growing bushy mohawks -
{{gwi:331349}}

Another neighbor recently decided pollarding was the way to go:
{{gwi:459733}}

Who says that whorl-branching, central leader confiers can't be turned into a hedge?

This post was edited by terrene on Sat, Oct 19, 13 at 11:57

Great pictures, terrene! The second-to-last-one looks like it has a mulch volcano as an extra added attraction.

We have a power company who ran lines through a woods full of trees. They can reap what they have sown as far as I am concerned. They also hired a company whom I suspect has a passive-aggressive supervisor. We had a tree, on site at least a hundred years, we not only gave them the blessing to fell, but asked them to. They came back and cut it off twenty feet from ground level and left us a completely branch-less phallic symbol on our front lawn. Yes, some limbs had encroached their electric lines, but I reminded them the tree was there first.when they started whining about it. Planted at the turn of the century (not the last one) it was a nice mature tree at the time of the REA but ample distance from the road. Yes, it got enormous after they ran the lines but trees grow. Duh

Here's a good one at the local gas station. Nothing like getting slowly suffocated until you die...

This American sycamore screams "I've been butchered!" because of the white bark...they've done a pretty mean number on the adjacent pin oak, too.
hortster

Sequoiadendron, that is truly cringe-worthy.

horster---oh dear!

calliope, what a sad story that they thought a 20' trunk was a proper thing to do.

Unfortunately, it is more often than not the general public who make insane demands to have the tops boshed off....and despite endless explanation from arbourists, most of them just won't listen. Tree surgeons can do no right in the public's eyes yet the vast majority of them are professionally educated, experienced and generally have a deep and abiding love for the trees. At the end of the day, it is usually the home-owner or utility companies who are making all the wrong decisions.