tree growth and srength
By Noseypotter
norfolk,
United Kingdom 
this may be a strange question lets see.im an artist in many medias (excuse my spelling) i have a web site at www.noseypotter.com .at the moment im realy into concrete sculpture if you like.i have just built a concrete fencewith a circuler theme .i was looking out the window at my fence and the climbing plants on it.i started thinking im gonna have to chop all them climbers back hard to make them grow in and out of the holes in the circles .i started to think at that point about the cherry tree out in my front garden i have trained round an old kids swing frame bordering a large head sculpture.im wondering how plausible it would be to make a much much stronger concrete form with deep futtings and get a tree to gow in and out of the holes ie a living and solid piece of art.if so what tree gives the quickest results ? is there any tree that takes to bending when young ? can i build it round a young sapling.maybe put some padding each side of the form like polistyrene so the trees goes through the middle of each hole so they never touch.only moving them when they are older.i was thinking willow tree or popler but i dont know.i know if you pick the branches of a willow at the right time from the same tree they will happily fuse together with a little help.i hope you can help and know what the hell im on about yours hopefully leigh shelton ps i mite have forsight but i also want to see some sort of a result before i die lol
15 Jun, 2008
Answers
Old grape arbors comes to mind - good texture to the branches and trunks, infinitely pliable, easy to prune, many to choose from. I know it is not a tree, but might allow more intricate concrete design. Blooms and grapes would be a changing visual element. Great engineering on the circle fence! My thought is that a tree with a strong trunk/branch structure might eventually lift your concrete design as it grows skyward.
15 Jun, 2008
thank you for your answers much appreciated i thaught willow for the same reasens.i have an ornimental grapevine on my fence and ofcourse ill keep you posted.im thinking of rebar scaffolding and lots of it.it will look silly at first realy and i suppose if someone after me doesnt do a little bit of husbandry it mite go pear shape but i think with the right husbandry and maths it could look realy cool i guess it could look terrible.time will tell.
15 Jun, 2008
If I may offer a note of caution, Willow is not a plant you want anywhere near your house - the roots of the larger species of willow (Salix) and also poplar, are notorious for causing subsidence by sucking large qualitities of water out of the soil and building foundations. They are also very fast growing - which means long whippy growth that might not in fact be very easy to train into intricate bends - think they'd snap too easily.
If I were you, I'd go for one of the traditional topiary plants - box or yew. I've also seen the Blue Spruce trained into intricate shapes - and the colouring makes it really very beautiful. With any of these you'll get good results within 5 years. I grew a yew peacock from scratch wtihin 4 years! - he's about 6ft tall. Whatever you do, you'll be doing a lot of trimming and tying in during the growing season for several years to come. Good luck!
16 Jun, 2008
I agree, willow roots can cause a lot of damage.
When I was teaching I worked in a school which had been built not so long ago in a quadrangle design around a central courtyard. A willow had been planted in the middle of the courtyard as a focal feature. When I was there the willow was taller than the double storey classroom block and had to be trimmed every year to ensure good light in the classrooms. The paving also required constant attention. A problem arose with the drains serving the cloakrooms, the cause was the willow's roots which had grown in and around them and caused very offensive leaks. In the end the willow was removed.
17 Jun, 2008
i do take your information seriously but i just cant do typical so i will keep on my search.i have a good friend who has about 60 bonzi trees.he is a wealth of knowladge excuse my spelling.i have fish and a cherry tree that need my constant attention but like my friend sais and i agree.why get pipes to water the plants aoutomaticly.i like tinkering about.ive been growing a red cherry into a circle .i cant help myself.i enjoy looking at them and nurturing them just like my puppy butler.i study them.thanx for the advise much apreciated.
17 Jun, 2008
I would think that a Willow would be the best bet - they are certaily pliant trees and do grow quickly. PLEASE post a photo if you do it, I reckon we'd all be fascinated!
15 Jun, 2008