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Bay shrub in bloom (Apr 2023)

M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
My bay shrub showed off their lovely white flowers this April 2023.



This shrub is about 5 foot high - anyone knows if a shrub can be trimmed into a tree shape? I mean is that how they make bay trees? Pardon my ignorance  :/
I wish I could garden all year round!

Posts

  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Lovely when they flower. 

    Mine did it last year. 

    What do you mean by tree shape? 

    Do you have a picture of the full thing as it is currently? 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I keep the bottom of the trunks clear if that’s what you mean.


    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    Lovely when they flower. 

    Mine did it last year. 

    What do you mean by tree shape? 

    Do you have a picture of the full thing as it is currently? 


    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    Lyn said:
    I keep the bottom of the trunks clear if that’s what you mean.



    WOWZER!!! That is a bay tree!!! Amazing Lyn thank you  :)

    How old is this beauty?
    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @M33R4 Just looking at @Lyn s photo it explains really well how to crown lift a shrub.
    You need to get underneath and see what you have [goggles required] look at the shape of the main stems do they have a nice even or uniform shape as this is what you will be looking at for the future. Will also create space for plants underneath that can cope with dry conditions.
    Lollipops are different you do need one straight stem and I assume they are grown from small plants. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    @M33R4 Just looking at @Lyn s photo it explains really well how to crown lift a shrub.
    You need to get underneath and see what you have [goggles required] look at the shape of the main stems do they have a nice even or uniform shape as this is what you will be looking at for the future. Will also create space for plants underneath that can cope with dry conditions.
    Lollipops are different you do need one straight stem and I assume they are grown from small plants. 
    Great tips there GardernerSuze thank you.

    Mine is multi stemmed - could I perhaps twist them lightly around each other to create the illusion of 1 stem? 
    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited May 2023
    I did that with one about twenty years ago. I sort of plaited them and removed any leaves that grew on the ' trunk'. The branches eventually fused together but it took a long time 

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    B3 said:
    I did that with one abo twenty years ago. I sort of plaited them...

    Amazing result there B3 thank you 😊 
    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Can’t remember how old it is,  must be 15 years at least. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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