European Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus)

[ConorDash]

A hornbeam purchased from @BobbyLane in August 2018.
Nice chunky trunk with movement, character, a good load of carving done by Bobby and good spread nebari to improve over time.

DSC_0087 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0088 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0091 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0098 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0095 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0093 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[December 24th 2018]

These pictures don't do it justice on how big and stocky this hunk of tree is. I was really amazed when seeing it in real life, its much bigger in person.

I have yet to decide a real "front" to it, but I am not one usually for picking fronts. I prefer to not aim for 1 particular angle.
Later in Winter ill put more wire in to branches (having been wired by Bobby sometime recently), after having formed a better idea for how I want the primary branch structure to be.
I think I would prefer less of the carving on show, but some. So an angle which suits that, if there has to be an angle at all.

Comments, style wise, health, etc, always appreciated and encouraged.
Thank you

 

[BobbyLane]

A hornbeam purchased from @BobbyLane in August 2018.
Nice chunky trunk with movement, character, a good load of carving done by Bobby and good spread nebari to improve over time.

DSC_0087 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0088 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0091 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0098 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0095 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0093 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[December 24th 2018]

These pictures don't do it justice on how big and stocky this hunk of tree is. I was really amazed when seeing it in real life, its much bigger in person.

I have yet to decide a real "front" to it, but I am not one usually for picking fronts. I prefer to not aim for 1 particular angle.
Later in Winter ill put more wire in to branches (having been wired by Bobby sometime recently), after having formed a better idea for how I want the primary branch structure to be.
I think I would prefer less of the carving on show, but some. So an angle which suits that, if there has to be an angle at all.

Comments, style wise, health, etc, always appreciated and encouraged.
Thank you

ah there it is, you see what i love about hornbeams, you can cut thick branch stubs back almost flush, back to thinner shoots and you dont have to worry about die back like a japanese maple!

you can see where the live vein is developing all around the edges where it was carved, even in the apex. hornbeam do this very easily without dying back

it just needs time to fill out conar, you could wire everything up n out like i do, no matter what stage of development, or you can wait until next season. you can just leave it tbh.

 

[ConorDash]

Japanese Maples are just so precious, so far I have learnt! So so precious...
Working on Elms is calming. Working on Maples is nerve wracking.

I can see the live tissue forming around yes .
I will wire it more, because why not, if I can get any more movement in to the branches + experience.

I assume basics apply here, let grow to thicken, once branchs are at the right thickness, cut and grow, cut and grow...

 

[BobbyLane]

some more pics for you from early summer
20180620_210400 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20180620_210430 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

back
20180620_210458 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

front
20180620_210319 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[ConorDash]

Thanks, I hope I already have those, just not posted here

 

[Paulpash]

You'll have fun doing winter cut back and wiring on this one @ConorDash Hornbeam are bulletproof, unlike the big Japanese maple I wired today - still have some of the dreaded dieback to nibble back to .

 

[ConorDash]

You'll have fun doing winter cut back and wiring on this one @ConorDash Hornbeam are bulletproof, unlike the big Japanese maple I wired today - still have some of the dreaded dieback to nibble back to .

Thanks, not much to cut yet but i do look forward to wiring . It’s been setup well by our mutual colleague, Mr Lane.
Yeh I have some cleanup to do on my maple,bits of die back.. they are just so fragile.. but it means later on, when I have made something of mine, I’ll be proud.

 

[ConorDash]

Nothing much a changing on this big boy yet, general clean up and wired branches (with the mind to cut them all back short later). Still looks like @BobbyLane tree at the moment, this year we can get some growth and change

DSC_0236 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0238 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0239 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Be glad to remove the wire, little unsightly.. but when I remove it, I'm pretty sure more will be going on!
But, they need to look ugly before they look good later.

 

[ConorDash]

I love this tree at the moment.. Powerful trunk, branches growing well and its leaves are so detailed and such a strong green.

DSC_0371 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0370 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Taken a few weeks before:
DSC_0332 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0335 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

 

[ConorDash]

Update pics, nice and bushy, growing strongly. I love this tree, its leaves, how they grow, its strength:

DSC_0566 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0568 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0569 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0570 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Its branches should start fattening very quickly now it has started pushing out additional branching from these main ones. Checked the wire on them, not cutting in yet. Fairly sure I could remove it now but might as well wait another week, will check daily. All looking good.

 

[BobbyLane]

Update pics, nice and bushy, growing strongly. I love this tree, its leaves, how they grow, its strength:

DSC_0566 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0568 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0569 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0570 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Its branches should start fattening very quickly now it has started pushing out additional branching from these main ones. Checked the wire on them, not cutting in yet. Fairly sure I could remove it now but might as well wait another week, will check daily. All looking good.

looking good, dont prune yet..leave it for another 2 or 3 weeks.
thats likely when i will do mine

 

[ConorDash]

looking good, dont prune yet..leave it for another 2 or 3 weeks.
thats likely when i will do mine

Cools. Looking at all the trees today, the elms have started extending new growth. In perhaps 2-3 weeks was when I was planning to take a day off work, mid week, if I can grab a really sunny hot day and spend the day in the garden, pruning and cleaning up. So this hornbeam will get an appointment in that slot .

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Looks like you're having a fun day playing!

 

[ConorDash]

Looks like you're having a fun day playing!

Yeah, I only tend to get saturday and sunday (sometimes not saturday) to really enjoy my garden and trees and do things, then of course need the weather! This was a good occasion for it all.
Back and shoulders are very red and burnt now though.

 

[AlainK]

Don't like it so much when a tree os "over-scarred".

I find it much more interesting, and natural, to hide excessive surgery. I think your hornbeam looks much better on the side that doesn't show these insults to a healthy tree.

Why would you think a tree that is half-dead is beautiful ?

I really don't understand...

 

[BobbyLane]

tree is thriving by the looks of it.
the cool thing about this tree and many that ive worked on. they look good from a few sides. while one person likes that side, somebody else may like the other. personally i like to enjoy my trees from any side because im constantly rotating them. and i like variety, as not all trees in nature are the same

the tree is hollow, but one would not know from this angle
20180620_210458 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[AlainK]

looking good, dont prune yet..leave it for another 2 or 3 weeks.
thats likely when i will do mine

Yes, it's looking good : the healthy leaves hide the wounds and help them heal. That's what a tree does, it doesn't want to die, no more that one would take pleasure in being maimed, crippled, disabled.

Just like people, I prefer living ones to zombies.

Used to be different in my early teens, we even formed a short-lived band called "Apoplexie". Must have the LP cover that I drew somewhere. Worth zillions of $$$ now : never been released

 

[ConorDash]

Yes, it's looking good : the healthy leaves hide the wounds and help them heal. That's what a tree does, it doesn't want to die, no more that one would take pleasure in being maimed, crippled, disabled.

Just like people, I prefer living ones to zombies.

Used to be different in my early teens, we even formed a short-lived band called "Apoplexie". Must have the LP cover that I drew somewhere. Worth zillions of $$$ now : never been released

Personally I’m flexible. No scarring would be fine but if wounds are caused, by us or nature, turning them to uros or carving more for accelerated natural look, are fine by me.
Personally I don’t like too much.

 

[ConorDash]

A good pruning, ready for more growth.

 

[ConorDash]

And then there was growth...
Some older leaves crisped up, suspected me watering not enough. They've taken a long time to get worse though, which Im hoping means it was only a temporary problem and they are mostly healthy. Everything else looks good.

11/08:
DSC_0724 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

01/09:
DSC_0783 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0784 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0782 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr