Unfortunately I learned the hard way how "ridiculous" the trimming of only one side of the Spruce tree would look. A very reputable tree service here suggested doing it to free up the "sidewalk" which leads to my front entrance. Now I have this Ridiculous tree which the neighbors have commented on and now I don't know what to do to make it look good (or the best it can). The branches are trimmed up to the roof line on one side, it looks like kind of a grotto. When the tree service sold me on the idea he said add some plants and some up lighting. Can anyone help me with options... Do I just give it a "mini skirt" look all around or soften the effect by removing a few of the back branches... I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks...
You see this happening fairly often, usually as a response to planting a large tree too close to a house. When I lived in Alberta we called such limbed up spruce trees "Calgary palms". It would be helpful to see a photo, but it might be that the best thing to do is limb up the other side and make it symmetrical.
"Calgary Palms!" Haw haw haw. Excellent! Limbing up of coniferous and broadleaved (like hollies) trees to ugly effect is very common here, in fact you'd have to hunt to hide a holly that isn't standing there with its knees showing. Everyone wants to plant and mow right up to the trunk, not have any hiding places around and so on.
I have a couple of photos. Wow taking the pictures really make it look worse.... I see what the neighbors are looking at.... I feel sooooo bad...
Not as bad as it sounded. Do not cut the other side off and turn it into a Calgary Palm! It is true that the cause of the pruning is a 60' tree being 6' from a walk - as the tree grows this will only worsen. You will have to train it to form a roof over the walk as the years pass or you will have to cut it down.
