Anxiety & Appreciation: My annual tree trimming exercise

I expanded my annual "tree trimming" exercise this year to include several shrubs that have gotten too large and unwieldy for me to handle on my own.  Although I have great trust in the company I've used since February 2013, there's always some collateral damage associated with the process.  Last year several large Agave attenuata rosettes and one Agave colorata suffered severe cases of what's often called "agave edema."  They were so damaged that I removed them.  I made a point of showing the arborist photos of the damage when we discussed this year's plans and he took precautions to prevent a repeat of that problem.  But the sheer volume of the debris created during the pruning process and the height from which many large branches fall, as well as the cleanup required at ground level, means that some plants on the ground will inadvertently be broken, stomped on, or dislodged.  This year wasn't as bad but then maybe I'm finally getting more accepting of the balance of the good and the bad associated with the process.

Here are the before and after shots, starting with the three shrubs I included in the trimming process this year:

My husband was disappointed that the height of the Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' in the back garden wasn't reduced but my objective was only to thin it down to reduce the heaviness of the branches

The same was true in the case of the 2 tree-sized 'Copper Glow' Leptospermums in the front garden

Ten trees were pruned:

This view shows the smaller of the 2 Arbutus 'Marina' in the back garden.  I delayed pruning this year principally because these trees were laden with flowers in September and I didn't want to disappoint the hummingbirds that flocked to them well into October.

This is the larger of the 2 Arbutus in the back garden

This is a shot of the interior of that tree's canopy.  I have all 4 of our Arbutus pruned each year to improve air flow and prevent the black soot that otherwise develops on the leaves.

This is a before and after comparison of the Arbutus on the north end of the front garden.  The succulents below the tree were those so severely impacted last year.  There were no problems of that nature this year.

The "before" photo of the Arbutus (left) on the south end of the front garden was marred by sun spots but it otherwise clearly shows the tree's appearance prior to pruning.  It sits atop a moderate slope so pruning it without causing damage to the area below it is particularly difficult.

The Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) doesn't look much different does it?  All I had done there was to have a few dead branch tips removed.

These before and after shots of the 3 citrus trees bordering the cutting garden (a Mandarin orange, a navel orange, and a lime) also don't look much different.  However, all the dead branches were removed, which I could see when I viewed them close up, even if the change isn't reflected in these wide shots.  The trees are also in need to feeding, which I'll do in early spring.

These are photos of the Magnolia grandiflora in the front garden

This photo taken from the path leading to the front door shows how open the area below the Magnolia's canopy is now.  The light level is much better for all the plants below the tree.

The canopy of the ornamental pear tree (Pyrus calleryana) was thinned and some of the lower branches were cut off or shortened.  Before the pruning, I couldn't walk below some of them without ducking in places.

The crew also cleaned up the cherry laurel hedge that runs along one section of the property line in the front garden:

The 5 Prunus caroliniana shrubs that make up the hedge just get sheared to neaten them up but the crew has to be careful of the lath house, which they were.  My husband recently made repairs to the roof, which was damaged by last year's heavy rainfall.

There were also three removals on the agenda:

This peach tree came with the garden, although we didn't discover it until the massive Yucca was removed along the property line at the bottom of the slope a few years after we moved in. It grew larger and larger with intractable ivy crawling up its main trunk.  It never produced edible fruit and I didn't manage to successfully treat its annual leaf curl problem so it went on the removal list, as did a sapling it spawned.  The "after" photo is marred by sun spots but it shows how nice the Pittosporum 'Silver Magic' looks now that it's no longer hidden by the peach tree.

The removal also opens up space for the Ceanothus arboreus and the lemon tree located nearby.  I still have to cut back some of the tangled ivy left behind and should probably apply a stump killer to the base of the trees' trunks so they won't grow back.  As it is, I discovered that there's yet another peach tree sapling higher up the slope that I'd failed to identify.

The crew also cut a giant self-planted Pyracantha on the moderate slope facing the lath house flush to the ground.  I originally thought it was a Cotoneaster - until its vicious thorns showed themselves.  I'd tried to maintain it at a manageable size but it outgrew my efforts to contain it.

Its removal left a large area to be replanted

The stumps are still there so that's another problem I need to address

A lot of the smaller succulents below the Arbutus at the top of the slope and surrounding the Pyracantha were damaged or otherwise in need of a refresh.  Fortunately, the larger succulents nearby, including the Agave desmettiana, were undamaged.

I appreciate the airier look to my garden after the trees have been trimmed, as well as the additional light at ground level.  In addition, I think the trees and shrubs will be healthier for the work performed and I'm glad to be rid of the Pyracantha and the peach tree.  I've already returned everything we moved in advance of the work yet there's still a considerable amount to be done to put the garden in order, most notably a cleanup and replanting of the area previously covered by the Pyracantha and the area below it.  I'll probably rely heavily on succulent cuttings from elsewhere in my garden but this may be a plant shopping opportunity too!

As an aside, with the holidays approaching and various other stressors piling up, I'm tentatively planning to cut back my weekly blog posts from three to two per week at least through the end of the year.  At present, I expect to post on Monday and Friday each week.

Best wishes for a safe and pleasant weekend, whatever your weather.  I know that parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California are being hit hard by a Bomb Cyclone.  It's still not clear how coastal Southern California will be affected but it's looking more like we'll at least get at least a little measurable rain out of this system.

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