One thing I don’t like about Bayside, is the distorted, ‘pruned’ street trees which have been shaped to accommodate over-head power lines.
The time and money our local council spends managing these trees must be astronomical. All this could be avoided with appropriate choice of trees at the time of planting. Not only mature trees are disfigured, but trees planted as recently as 2009 are destined to the same fate. I was amazed to see this happening in my own neighbourhood where eucalypt species bound to grow too tall were planted directly under power lines.
Sure enough, the council loppers have done the dastardly deed and we now have weirdly grotesque tree shapes instead of elegant free growing specimens. Some of them are quite spectacular, but would look more at home in a Salvador Dali sculpture park!
Sure enough, the council loppers have done the dastardly deed and we now have weirdly grotesque tree shapes instead of elegant free growing specimens. Some of them are quite spectacular, but would look more at home in a Salvador Dali sculpture park!
Why the council persists in planting inappropriate species is a mystery. I’d be surprised if it’s a financial constraint, our rates should well and truly cover those costings! We have a fantastic indigenous plants nursery in Beaumaris. I am sure they would be able to provide informed advice if the council were to ask!
Elly, I completely agree. I used to live in Mentone and it's absolutely crazy. You've found some crazy specimens here..
ReplyDeletei see these things happening to some trees in the suburbs near me, and it quite sad to see these trees this way. you sure have found some strange looking trees!
ReplyDeleteWell said Elly, the buthering of trees in this fashion is a national discrace, it seems that trees are planted in the wrong place so people can justify having a job to do (wasn't me, but i can fix it syndrome).
ReplyDeleteElly, there are great images there - Dali-esque indeed. I would love to use some of those pics in lectures if I may (fully credited of course!). Until cables go underground and/or we have better skilled tree crews the distorted, twisted, hacked limbs will go on and on and on...actually years ago in Yass, NSW I had a gig doing a street tree survey for Council who wanted to be "another Ballarat" ie. have a rich treescape. I came across a street with brutally pruned Ironbark trees (one of my faves). I found out that the power authority had done the job because they had nothing else to do in town that week.
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