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Reducing height of a large holly tree?

MisterBoyMisterBoy Posts: 52
in Plants

Our new house has many mature holly trees. One is ~20 feet tall and about 5-6 separate trunks, all very messy at the ground level but nice overall. However it's too tall... I'm torn between ripping it out or cutting it back to the height of a large bush, about 8-10'.

I've no idea about hollies to know if this will look horrible, or will be OK? I don't know the type.

Posts

  • MisterBoyMisterBoy Posts: 52

    I'd post a photo but this website doesn't work on my phone.

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 22,322

    It'S NOT EASY TO MAKE A HOLLY LOOK GOOD AFTER BITS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF IT.

    HERE IS ONE IDEA.

    http://www.plantsmanscorner.co.uk/journal-articles/941-the-hatrack-1-3.html

    THIS IS PART ONE OF THREE PARTS DESCRIBING THE PRUNING OF A HOLLY TREE.

    YOU CAN ENTER "HATRACK" INTO THE SEARCH BOX OF THE FIRST PART FOR THE OTHER TWO PARTS.

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713

    We have a mature, very old holly tree which was pollarded about 10 years ago i.e. all the thinner branches removed and overall cut down to about 15 feet in height.  It did look a bit awful for a year or two, but is now a perfectly balanced rounded tree which looks great. 

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