I feel a little sad ......

[Judith]

Just spent the last 30 mins or so watching (and photographing) the

trees being pruned outside my flat here in London, first floor so a

bird's eye view.  Perhaps after the gales of yesterday they decided

they were unsafe, but more likely the annual prune (I hope!)  I know

they can get too close to the building, but I do so hate to see such

destruction ........ even if I can now see across the street again!

If someone could tell me how I post a photo here I'll put one in!

[Russethouse]

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/819635/ShowPost.aspx

How to post a photo......

Good luck.

Across the road from me there is a large conifer with a clear trunk, the house whose drive it is in has just been sold and selfishly I'm hoping they keep the tree.......

[raindog]

[quote user="Judith"]  I know

they can get too close to the building, but I do so hate to see such

destruction ........ even if I can now see across the street again!

[/quote]

Don't worry, they will grow again.......[:)]

[Patf]

Reminds me of the brutal way the french prune their trees, especially in the towns. There's a special word for it, it's supposed to be an art. But to me the poor trees have been dismembered [:(] and are left with ugly stumps.

[Pads]

How sad am I ............ I cant even prune my own trees and bushes , its a job I leave to hubby every year then get mad at him for being to brutal with them,[:$] but each year they become more beutiful because of it. but it seems so cruel.........[:(]

Russethouse what did you mean by a clear trunk ? [8-)]

[Judith]

[quote user="Patf"]Reminds me of the brutal way the french prune their trees, especially in the towns. There's a special word for it, it's supposed to be an art. But to me the poor trees have been dismembered [:(] and are left with ugly stumps.[/quote]

Pollarding????  These have been left with large stumps, it will take some time for any growth to re-occur I think.

Russethouse, thanks for the link for importing the photo, been too busy to try it, seems a bit complicated, and since I've made a mess of several things I've done today by rushing, I will not try it tonight!!

[Russethouse]

Hi Judith, It looks more complicated than it is, I'm a real luddite and I managed to to it, but I agree with you - If I'm doing anything new I like to do it when I'm 'fresh'

[Judith]

[quote user="Judith"] These have been left with large stumps, it will take some time for any growth to re-occur I think.

[/quote]

From my kitchen window - you may see what I mean!

[IMG]http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj76/Jacacw/IMAG0004.jpg[/IMG]

Russtehouse, thanks, proof will be if this actually shows up once I've posted - but I definitely needed the instructions!

[Patf]

Judith ' it looks like they've cut off the lower branches to stop children from climbing the trees. I think I heard that councils have been sued by parents of children who have been injured, or worse , from falling out of trees.

[cooperlola]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollarding

[Judith]

[quote user="Patf"]Judith ' it looks like they've cut off the lower branches to stop children from climbing the trees. I think I heard that councils have been sued by parents of children who have been injured, or worse , from falling out of trees.[/quote]

PC again I see!  How else do they learn about life??  I never thought of that one, they do get pruned and we have asked in the past for judicious pruning to be done, as otherwise they reach the house, but this was much more drastic than has happened before.  And I still feel sad when I look out of the window .....

[Punch]

Shame about the trees but more importantly how lucky you are to have a pub just across the road ! ( well it looks like a pub anway [:)] )Nothing like that here in rural Mayenne!

[raindog]

[quote user="Patf"]Judith ' it looks like they've cut off the lower branches to stop children from climbing the trees. I think I heard that councils have been sued by parents of children who have been injured, or worse , from falling out of trees.[/quote]

God above, I thought kids were supposed to fall out of trees - I fell out of hundreds.

[Tressy]

[quote user="raindog"][quote user="Patf"][/quote]
God above, I thought kids were supposed to fall out of trees - I fell out of hundreds.
[/quote]

 

Me too, but not onto a pavement.[;-)]

Those branches looked too high for anything but the most determined kiddie climber though. They'd need a step ladder to get up there!

Judith it does look a bit drastic at the moment, but once the cuts take on the colour of the rest of the trees they'll look a lot better.

[Patf]

Tress - your point about falling onto grass or onto a pavement is a good one. Sorry to be morbid, but at one time we lived in a street lined with chestnut trees (conkers.) There was one outside our house, and a   child fell from it and broke his arm. The next tree down, a child fell onto the pavement and was killed. I'll never forget the sight of the boy's father who came the next day to look at where his son had fallen.

[Judith]

Folks

A composite reply to all those who posted whilst I was busy doing other things!  The stumps which I see immediately each time I open the kitchen curtains or look out of the window are straight in my sight and thus an ongoing shock each time.  I'd got used to leaves (!) and they will be at least 10-12 feet off the ground, so unless kids got help to climb, too far for most kids.  I thought the whole idea of gowing up was to learn what not (and what) to do, ie climb tree, fall out, break arm, learn not to do it again (or not above a hard surface!).  Some kids will never learn in spite of this, but we really cannot continue to protect for ever more all those who refuse to do this. 

As for the pub, a mixed blessing, very noisy in summer and weekends, fortunately they did not extend the hours when the new licensing act came in, so it does go quiet about 11 still.  Useful to take visitors across, and useful once when we had a power cut a meal time and they didn't, but not much of a pub person myself, usually too noisy and I like my own chair!!!

[Tressy]

[quote user="Judith"]
The stumps which I see immediately each time I open the kitchen curtains or look out of the window are straight in my sight and thus an ongoing shock each time.  I'd got used to leaves (!) and they will be at least 10-12 feet off the ground, so unless kids got help to climb, too far for most kids.  I thought the whole idea of gowing up was to learn what not (and what) to do, ie climb tree, fall out, break arm, learn not to do it again (or not above a hard surface!).  Some kids will never learn in spite of this, but we really cannot continue to protect for ever more all those who refuse to do this. 

[/quote]

But Judith from what I can see the branches that were removed were too high for kids to reach anyway, so it's doubtful that they were removed for what you call 'PC' reasons.