Radical Rejuvenation
A two-year journey which gave new life to a trio of Hornbeams.
BMA first stood in front of these Hornbeams in the summer of 2020. They were relatively young and had been exposed to the prevailing salt winds from the near waters of Mecox. Following several seasons of inadequate growth, a sense of uncertainty set in whether these trees might ever obtain a uniform canopy. An option of removal — or replacement — was considered.
BMA offered an alternative to the elimination of the trio of Fastigate Carpinus:
“radical rejuvenation.”
The trees would be cut to a uniform array of stubs and allowed to naturally regrow. A radical rejuvenation is not without risks, as for some time the trees would look “ugly” and might not perform as expected. Such an experiment even comes with a risk of total failure.
However, based on the trees’ strong potential alongside knowledge built upon countless past rejuvenations, BMA was entrusted with a radical rejuvenation, set for the early spring of 2021. Our team selectively cut and shaped the Hornbeams back to “bare wood.” The Hornbeams were just shadows of their former selves.
The start of the ugly phase stands out on a crisp March day.
Timing is critical in such pruning. Every provision was made to have favorable odds, including protection from desiccating winter winds. In only a few months, the Hornbeams began to show signs of life.
But the ugly phase was far from over. By early to mid-summer, the Hornbeams were pushing through increasing signs of life, but the trees still “looked bad”. Their appearance was fuzzy, patchy and irregular.
By early Summer 2022, robust growth started to emerge. These trees were ready for their first pruning session since the rejuvenation over a year ago, being retrained into desired, matching forms with an abundance of impressive, lush growth. As they are continually steered towards their ultimate forms, it is good to remember that all trees are a living, moving, work in progress.
Our recently rejuvenated Hornbeams aspire to take on the form of these spires which we’ve been training for 2 decades at a property in Southampton.
