"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote in message
"Peter Jason" wrote in message

It is about 1/2 meter tall and the top is
growing fast. I don't have a garden and it
lives in a pot on the patio. I just want to
train it into an attractive shape because it
has branches lower down that grow out
horizontally.

I think you wasted your money.

The Wollemi Pine belongs to the Araucaria family and this family
all
grow into huge trees. The really spectacular thing about this
family
is their shape in that they grow enormously tall with stunning
trunks
and have superb pointy tops. There are many wonderful and
enormous
examples in older gardens in Oz (especially old farm gardens) that
were planted in the 19th century and in many Victorian era
cemeteries
(such as Rookwood in Sydney).

The official site for the Wollemi Pine says that the biggest one
in
the wild is 40 metres high so I don't fancy your chances of
keeping it
looking good as a pot plant given the preferred way that these
trees
grow.


I am probably the odd one out but I see nothing wrong with planting
a tree
you like and accepting that it will have to be removed long before
maturity.

I have no problems with planting certain trees that will be removed
long before maturity. I live on a farm in a very windy spot and have
another farm also in a very windy spot so we plant pioneer trees to
provide wind slowing and shelter for more tender species or as cattle
shelter. These will mostly all be sacrificed at some stage as
preferable species grow to a size where they can cope. These pioneers
are the trees I put into the green weed category - like Radiata pines
and acacias.

I do however, have problems with buying certain trees knowing that
they will not be treated with the due respect that I believe they
deserve. That is why I have planted oaks and elms and other trees
which will grow long after I'm worm food. Even in a severe drought we
water them at the expense of the rest of the garden. Trees (and
especially mature ones) cannot be replaced but the rest of it can.
But then I love big trees and YMMV.

Yesterday I visited a forest and an Arboretum and saw for the first
time a grove of mature Sugar Pines (Pinus lambertiana) and it was love
at first sight. I now have to find a spot for some of these amazing
trees but I can't do that till the drought breaks as after 6 years of
reduced rain there is no more water for more hungry mouths.

There are plenty of wonderful examples of Araucaria around here
which will
eventually have to go. Even the most modest British trees are
probably
unsuitable for the average garden but they do enjoy a 20/30 year
life before
the chop.

I recognise that it happens. Very sad TMWOT. There is nothing more
majestic or impressive than a huge elm, oak or something similar and
it's very sad to me to see trees chopped down because of poor
planning. I visit certain open gardens repeatedly to see a number of
the big trees which I know I won't be able to grow in my short
remaining life.

Must go now -I need to check the Sequoia:-)

I hope you aren't checking it to plan it's demise.