Pruning conifers in to trees

[Richie]

Spent yesterday pruning my Picea conica's into pine looking trees . The Picea's have been growing for several years now and were starting to over crowed my line so i decided to have ago at pruning them into pine trees i started by cutting off the lower branches then cut out every other branch and removed dead needles from the centre the end result looked very good heres some pics of the ones i have done so far have several more still to do .

Tree on the left is pruned one on the right still needs doing

Close up of pruned branches

 

[Richie]

Had a chance today to do a few more conifers had ago on some junipers and chamaecyparis boulevard will take some more pics in the week . After doing this pruning i have found more light getting to the back of my layout also the church is now in view on top of the hill this was hard to see before as the trees were to dense

 

[trammayo]

Some clever topiary there - very realistic (and real) trees. Nice scenery Richie.

 

[nico]

nice pruning

 

[jameshilton]

Very effective actually! Good stuff.

 

[yb281]

Nice job Rich. I've tried to do this with some of mine. The ones at the rear of the station on Tag's railway always look so good. I understand he's been doing them for years.

 

[Richie]

Many thanks guys for all your kind comments just a few more to prune now been a bit hard on my knees as each tree takes 1/2 hr to do but i think it's been worth it .

 

[robsmorgan]

Don't know how I missed your thread before, but glad I noticed it today..... these trims are great! - [style="color: #008000;"]inspirational! - must get my (mostly box) 'trees' looking something like your excellent work.

Thanks Richie

Rob

 

[Richie]

Don't know how I missed your thread before, but glad I noticed it today..... these trims are great! - [style="color: #008000;"]inspirational! - must get my (mostly box) 'trees' looking something like your excellent work.

Thanks Richie

Rob

Hi Rob
Many thanks for your kind words, have trimmed several more trees since will get some more pics .

 

[Richie]

Heres a up date on my prunning and some more pics

Picea Conica with thinned out branches

close up of trimmed Picea

Picea and Chamaecyparis

Ilex Crenata with lower leaves removed

Chamaecyparis Thyoides Red was prunned hard as the lower branches had died off in the cold weather but the tips were still alive

Shot of the whole area with the prunned trees

 

[yb281]

That last pic makes it look really impressive Rich .

 

[jameshilton]

Great effect - well worth the effort!

 

[Richie]

Many thanks for your comments Mel & James .
I'm very pleased with how they turned out they look better than i thought they would

 

[robsmorgan]

That last pic makes it look really impressive Rich .

Totally agree with this post - really beautiful topiary...... it looks so good some (not me) might even suspect a bit of photo editing - just brilliant :admire::admire: .... I just hope you post a step by step guide for people like me to follow:thinking:

Regards
Rob

 

[trammayo]

Really, really nice! I wish I had your skills and patience!

I had to remove another two Leylandii (second year running) the other day from the railway as they were half dead - windburn (-23 recorded). Also some larger ones in the "garden" need removing.

I replaced one from the railway with a box and the other with a different (dark green) type Leylandi which seems to fare better. Wish I knew the names like you do!

 

[beavercreek]

Nice topiary Richie!
Pruning skills of the expert plant grower on show there.
I have to have a go at mine again this year as they have 'bushed' a bit. One or two gone during the winter...they are now realistic 'ye olde gnarled tree trunks'!

 

[Spule 4]

Great thread, especially the last pic/overall view.....

I have thought of doing this myself, especially as we have an ample supply of free small Junipers here to practice on.....they grow natrually here.

 

[Richie]

Many thanks for all your kind comments
When i get to trim some other conifers i will do a step by step guide for those of you who would like to give it a go

 

[Granitechops]

Looking Good Richie,
and the realism comes from the fact that real trees do not generally have branches all the way to the ground,
as A)-
animals reach up & browse on them, look in a field with cows in for example & there generally no branches with edible shoots on lower that say 6-7 feet.
and B)-
when trees get taller & exclude light from lower branches, the growth down there thins out

 

[trammayo]

Many thanks for all your kind comments
When i get to trim some other conifers i will do a step by step guide for those of you who would like to give it a go

Yes please