In article , Jack
writes
Sorry, I should have been clearer -- I cut back the branches only, not the
trunk itself.

I was warning anyone else who might be tempted!

I left about 12 inches of branches, so it's not quite a knob
on a stick (oooerr!!) Branches had sprung out all over the place,
untidy-like, and were shaped like the spokes of an umbrella -- almost took
my eye out every time I passed by. So I cut off the sticking-out branches,
to leave just the graceful weepy branches. Whether the branches will once
again shoot off into umbrella spokes, I don't know. If they do, I think
I'll just get rid of the tree as it's more trouble than it's worth -- it's
usually full of greenflies, mildew and rust and it doesn't even give me
catkins.

Yes, I'd agree with that assessment! In my case it's caterpillars. I
spoke to it severely last autumn and told it I'd be binnng it if it
didn't produce catkins, and this year it did - only about a dozen, but
very big and fluffy, so it has a reprieve.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/