Pruning Back Frans Fontaine Hornbeam Hedge - Along Walkway - July 2025

The hedge of Frans Fontaine Columnar Hornbeam trees that are planted along the side of our house have NOW been pruned.  Just a little bit.  These are now in their eighth (8th) growing season and up until now I have NOT touched one branch.  No pruning what-so-ever.  But, that ended because of the boardwalk along the side of our house.  

I'm eager to keep the idea of miegakure - or "hide and reveal" with these trees and the boardwalk that provides the pathway. That 'hide-and-reveal' is for the full backyard.

After a big rain, the branches are loaded with wet leaves and the lower ones on these Frans Fontaine European Hornbeams begin to droop.  And, lean against the screened porch.   

This weekend, I grabbed my small hand pruners and began to cut back some of the lower branches.  I picked spots that had foliage back behind the cut, to ensure there would be continued leaf-out.  

I didn't want to hack the whole thing back, but rather I wanted to create an opening in the canopy that allows for a comfortable walk back on the boardwalk without having to dodge tree branches and leaves. 

Here, below, is what I ended up with:  The opening is smaller that it *could be*, but the branches are cut-back enough to not encroach on the boardwalk.  I left some of the overhead branching in place to create a tunnel effect.  You can see the bright light at the end of that tunnel - which gives a really nice view.  It also pays off the notion of an 'entrance' - which as I've talked about before is a part of improving the 'legibility' of the garden.  (That's #10 on my to-do list this year.)

Below is a pile of the branches that I took out:  mostly the tips of branches.  I collected these and tossed them onto the compost pile.  I figured they'd create some spaces for aeration/passive aeration in amongst the grass clippings and wood chips that I've been adding the past few weeks.