What is it?

Pollarding is a pruning method that allows us to keep trees and shrubs smaller than they naturally want to grow to. There are several species that can be pollarded, including willow, beach, oak, hornbeam, lime, chestnut and the only one I have seen in Sydney crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica).

Why do it?

There are a few reasons listed, just from doing some reading on the matter, as to why you would want to pollard a tree, including:

• Preventing the tree from outgrowing the space in which it has been planted
• Another is to reduce the shade cast by a tree
• Where a tree could block street lights or go through electrical wires-done to improve safety around the tree in question

What I think

I have to be honest here, I really think that pollarding is ugly and unnecessary. I say this for several reasons:

• All the reasons given above for pollarding a tree or shrub lead to the fact that you are planting the wrong plant in the wrong place-if you want sunshine in an area or there are lights and wires around don’t plant a tree!
• Trees are wonderful things, but, beyond formative pruning, I really do think they should be planted with enough space to grow into it’s natural form
• Trees also provide shade, which can help to cool down an area-this will be increasingly important as climate change takes more of an effect
• If you want plants that let through the sun, don’t grow too big for the area in question and also look great, there are many to choose from-research what plants look good for your conditions and have fun planting
• Also, you need to understand what you are doing, otherwise you could injure yourself or damage the tree
• It is also a process that needs to happen every year or two once started to build the structure you want and to prevent overcrowding branches