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  Kristen September 22, 2008 at 10:07pm

  I found a picture with a ground-level view of the Lombardy poplars to be replaced:
  
  

  
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  Nick Steele September 22, 2008 at 10:23pm

  How impatient are you ? You could buy trees and pleach them yourself, this would obviously take a few years of pleaching, but you could then have the canopy at whatever height you want. Limes are traditionally the pleachers choice, apart from anything else the branches tend to grow in a flat plane so they are half pleached before you start. They'd be happy enough in your soil. 2 mt spacing is quite close - you could reduce the price by planting fewer without any detriment I'd have thought.
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  Kristen September 22, 2008 at 11:01pm

  Nick Steele said:

  How impatient are you ?

  
  Hmmm ... that's hard to answer! I suppose it depends on how long its going to take. If buying these ready-pleached trees only saves me a year, or so, its a grand waste of money ...
  
  If I could have something which looked half-decent in 5 years I'd be happy.
  
  A quick look with Google suggests that 2M Hornbeam would be £6 each ... how fast would those guys grow?
  
  Clearly I could afford something taller than 2M, but I don't think a Standard with a "round" top is a good place to start if I then want to make a pleach, is it?
  
  Limes would suit me well (need to be the one that doesn't create the honey-dew as we park cars nearby - is that Tilia x euchlora?)
• PRO

  Phil Voice September 23, 2008 at 6:45am

  If you are looking for something that gives both leaf shape interest plus a wonderful crescendo in the autumn then why not consider pleached/feathered Liquidambar?
  
  You would need to prepare your heavy clay soil well but the aesthetic interest might be worthwhile.
  
  I planted pleached Liquidambar at a job in North Warnborough many moons ago but they were not cheap.
  
  However, as Nick suggests, growing and training them yourself might be the better option - and the enjoyment is second to none.
  
  I am sure you know what a Liquidambar looks like in full splendour but for anyone else - here is an example of a Liquidambar in full autumn blood.
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  Nick Steele September 24, 2008 at 7:54am

  I had a wander round the nursery today .... hornbeam have branches coming off the trunk at all angles, they're quite thick and very rigid, even when young, so to pleach these you'd have to start with very young trees - 2m whips max I'd guess. Liquidamber is a very nice suggestion - more pliable branches than hornbeam, and I'm guessing you could start with a 3 - 4 mt specimen without too many problems; ideally, you need to visit the nursery and pick your plants I guess so you can get off to the best possible start with "matching" specimens. Lime are undoubtedly the easiest option - as I mentioned earlier they are almost self pleaching because the branches tend to come off the trunk at 180 degrees to each other, so you could start with a 3 - 4 mt plant, perhaps even larger, and have some sort of result almost immediately. I'm not sure the honeydew problem is going to be an issue unles you plan to park cars directly under the trees ?
  Your beech / hornbeam hedge is going to be maybe 5 years before it starts to look "full" and I'm guessing you could see a half-decent result from DIY pleached trees in about the same timescale.
• PRO

  Phil Voice September 26, 2008 at 7:36am

  Here is a picture of a Liquidambar on the Villeneuve sur Lot golf course.
  
  For some reason they have planted a lot there - it is hardly indigenous but makes for a cracking game of golf in the autumn.
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  Clive Rossington September 28, 2008 at 9:14pm

  Can I glean some information here without taking away from the original question? I've taken over the maintenance of a newly landscaped garden down in Hove, Sussex. The landscaper put in a line of 16 pleached limes. They are planted 6 feet apart and the trunks are about 6ft high before the canopy. I'm told they cost £165 each. The soil is alkaline, chalky. The trees look as if they are dying. They have grown a bit, but have looked very sickly all year with no sense of vigour. What care do they need to thrive? Lots of plants in the garden have been struggling, but with the financial cost of these trees, I'm wanting to encourage them to grow and thrive. Any ideas?.... thanx
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  Rosalind Rosewarne November 12, 2010 at 9:22am

  Limes lime moist well drained soil. RHS wisdom says avoid very dry conditions and exposure to strong winds.
  Apparently the most common reason for tree failure is lack of appropriate watering throughout early establishment. Could it be this?
  Without seeing them, their site, their condition etc it's hard to say if they are beyond hope but their are companies who will come and inspect and give you the good/bad news about their health - i.e no point trying to rescue them if they're beyond rescue!
  
  http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/plantdetail.aspx?plantid=42854
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  Paysage Durable November 12, 2010 at 11:03am

  I agree with Progard, Hornbeam can be bought easily, will establish easily. Although an avenue of pleached Liquidambers sounds great.
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  Paysage Durable November 12, 2010 at 11:10am

  What is the irrigation system if any? I fear this is a root problem, although being Hove how far from the sea is the site?
  
  Have to deal with a lot of Limes here in France and the problem you talk about has been apparent in many street trees. Here the problem has been consolidation and we have been able to cure the problem easily by some work at the base.
  
  20litres of very well rotted Horse manure Mulch and these - http://bit.ly/9F1tbV, which despite being made here in France we have to get from a UK supplier - http://www.amenity.co.uk/ but did the job certainly for the short term and quick affect.
  
  Any chance of a photo?
  
  
  Clive Rossington said:

  Can I glean some information here without taking away from the original question? I've taken over the maintenance of a newly landscaped garden down in Hove, Sussex. The landscaper put in a line of 16 pleached limes. They are planted 6 feet apart and the trunks are about 6ft high before the canopy. I'm told they cost £165 each. The soil is alkaline, chalky. The trees look as if they are dying. They have grown a bit, but have looked very sickly all year with no sense of vigour. What care do they need to thrive? Lots of plants in the garden have been struggling, but with the financial cost of these trees, I'm wanting to encourage them to grow and thrive. Any ideas?.... thanx