I found it!! ….This is the inspiration shot that is helping me get my head around the upgrades we plan to make to our tree house this year.   Until I saw this, I didn’t realize how much ‘foundation’ plantings could add to a tree house — a place with no true foundation.  Also, in the spirit of cost effective and simple solutions, I love that this house really doesn’t have walls — just bamboo shades and breezy curtains that can be brought in for the winter.   We are discussing our roof architecture but I am so excited that we all agree that this is just what we want and that is a huge achievement for this family of four with widely differing opinions.

Nearly a hundred years ago a Swedish born bean farmer named Axel Erlandson settled in California and in an effort to entertain his family he shaped trees.   Axel could have never have guessed that his playful masterpieces would exist still today and that his tree story would endure long past his death.

Having discovered the property of trees to graft to themselves (called inosculation), Axel created over a hundred trees in amusing and odd shapes.   He was quite coy about his techniques, often telling people that he talked to the trees to encourage them to grow into their fabulous shapes.  After 20 years of shaping and creating, word started getting out about Axel’s Tree collection and it was dubbed the tree circus.  Robert Ripley featured his tree circus in his magazine 12 times.

In the Mid 60’s Axel passed away but his trees lived on and though his property fell into disrepair, many of the trees survived.  In the 70’s a local architect named Mark Primark risked arrest for trespassing to feed and water the trees and was able to keep 25 circus trees alive.  Finally, they attracted the attention of Michael Bonfante, owner of Nob Hill Foods. Bonfante was a horticultural connoisseur and  he moved them to his theme park (Gilroy Gardens) in 1985 where 19 of the original trees still survive.

Gilroy Gardens regularly opens for “gardens only” days, (usually on Fridays), when most of the rides and shops are closed, making it easier to walk around and look at the plantings.  There are no rides but you can hop on a train that circles the park or take the boat that floats through the Rainbow Garden.  Gilroy Gardens is the only California amusement park with a horticultural theme.

Erlandson really started something and his  creations have inspired numerous other Tree shapers.   In 2005 a Japanese expo was devoted to these horticultural creations of “Circus Trees”.  If you want to learn more about Axel’s followers, check out tree shapers, where the history of shaped trees is chronicled.

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Known as the “Mother of all willow palaces” this living structure (palace really) was created in 1998 in Aeurstedt, Germany in the region between Weimar and Naumburg.

Weaving live saplings together to form a domed cathedral space, architect Marcel Kalberer and his group Sanfte Strukturen are re-envisioning the way living building materials and techniques can be used.  This palace took the efforts of 300 volunteers to build, but now, over ten years later, it serves as a home for impromptu gatherings particularly for natural events such as the the full moon and other cultural and community celebrations.

The building techniques are based on the ancient Sumerian reed houses of Mesopotamia.  These were known for their construction by use of tightly bound reeds.  In this case the whole tree is woven in place to form a living structure.

Kalberer began his first living construction in 1984 and since then has built more than 70 structures around Europe. He has also shared and explained his technique to others, and according to Kalberer, there are now more than 10,000 small willow constructions at schools and in private gardens around Germany.

So this has me thinking, it is that time of year…you can buy willow stems to create your own Auerworldpalast inspired garden structure.  Bluestem Nurseries has all you need.   I am headed there now….

Created by Marcel Kalberer with Sanfte Strukturen (Bernadette Mercx, Dorothea Kalb-Brenek, Anna Kalberer, Eugen Lüdi, Jacky Roland,Philippe Rohner). Images from by Peter Ganser and from the Sanfte Strukturen website.

Trees are falling outside and it is SO utterly distracting.  I have the TV on to try and distract from the sound of chainsaws and the occasional building shaking thud — it is simply not working to try and work through this…. I am headed out to take some photos of and then am heading off the New England Grows – the big landscape industry trade event here in Boston.

I hope to capture some interesting shots like these (if I am lucky).  These were taken by Sol Lang in Canada where the lumber industry is thriving.   While I am all emotionally mixed up about the trees, I know it is ultimately the right thing….(re-read my post with my tree downing explanation here) — but I can’t help that my eyes bug out of my head as these things fall – the sight is shocking, and the quick end is brutal.  But it is my optimistic hope that I won’t have to wait too long before something beautiful can come of the destruction.  So I am going to start with trying for some beautiful pictures today. I’m off – back tomorrow.

Patrick Dougherty’s stick structures are captivating landscape art created from basic building materials (sticks).

I learned about Patrick when I posted about Where the Wild Things Are and my friend Susan tweeted how she thought the fort in the movie was similar to his work.  I think she has a point….certainly the set designers took inspiration from Patrick.  I wish he would come design and build a fort for me…..

The pitchers in the water and Cell Division pieces above are my favorites.  I love how they soften the lines of the architecture and how the architecture seems to make the sculptures more breathtaking.

Which is your favorite piece? Patrick is offering a catalog of his work for sale at his website.  It would make a lovely holiday gift.

I have to share this treehouse with you….before it is gone.  Yes, the owner is sadly being forced to tear it down. Sprout mentioned this local story to me in a comment and I have to say I am outraged and sad.  It seems this awesome tree house, which was built over the last 2 months to celebrate the glory of this amazing 300 year old oak tree, has caused a rift among neighbors and friends and the rift has gone so far, that the treehouse is being ordered down.

My daughter is watching over my shoulder as I type this….she can’t help but to be interested in such a fun looking structure (who can?).  I have explained to her that I am writing about it because it is going to be torn down — she is brainstorming 1st grade minded suggestions for saving it — my favorite is “why can’t he move it to the other side of the yard?”

Mr. Chapman – who is a Botany Professor and the creator of this tree house, envisioned it to be a Bancroft Tower for his neighborhood…. Bancroft Tower a lovely structure to be inspired by — it was built on one of the 7 hills of Worcester MA  by a guy named Stephen Salisbury to honor his friend George Bancroft (a former Secretary of the Navy, founder of the US Navel Academy at Annapolis, US Minister to Germany and Great Britain, and he delivered the eulogy at Lincolns funeral).  At the base is a compass that points to the 6 other hills of Worcester – 2 of which once were sites of other Salisbury structures that were also dedicated to people he admired but they have both been lost for lack of protection (thankfully Bancroft Tower is on the National Register of Historic Places, and while it not regularly open and in disrepair, at least it is not going to be torn down).

I think we need more people with this sort of vision and drive.  Here is my offer to Mr. Chapman — move your treehouse to my property– I too am on the top of a hill in Worcester County — rebuild your treehouse (or add on to our humble beginnings) — have views of Boston to the east and Wachusett to the west.  I will continue to develop the gardens and grounds, I will open it to kids, friends, family and you, whenever you want.  We will participate in garden tours and open days and invite the public in to appreciate your creation, share your vision and hopefully you can be an inspiration to others.  My neighbors won’t complain — they are like minded people — this my neighbor at the back’s home — he is a professor of Architecture at MIT — I guess he turned over part of his house to a student experiment once. — to interesting results….

It’s like windows starting growing this canker like formation on the side of an otherwise more normal seeming house.

And here is my neighbor to the south (he is a professor at Tufts) — he has 13 acres of stunningly manicured gardens and the best collection of Day lilies you have ever seen — but his house could possibly fall down in the next good wind storm (no- I am not exaggerating – we all have our priorities right? his is the garden).

They have gone off for the season — but imagine all these beds full of daylilies in the summer.

Perhaps I do not show the most derelict piece of this home -funny it actually looks better in this picture- but trust me –its falling down.

Oh and on the other side is Harvard University — they are quiet neighbors….but they built this huge satellite dish and laser telescope….  Apparently they are trying to communicate with aliens.  Being right next door, and the first house an alien visitor might come across, I like to think of ourselves as untitled Ambassadors to the Universe.

Here is the thing….last time I checked — Harvard (which is in Worcester County) had THE highest property values in the county — fascinating, given all this adventurous construction and quirky and questionable maintenance.   Maybe maintaining high property values has a little more to do with the feel of a place and a loving accepting community of people than a conforming vision of perfectly cultivated homes.  Would you agree?

The newspaper article mentioned that the neighbors concern is about property values.  Which has me floored. (seriously the guy next door is threatening to burn the treehouse and kill his neighbor over property values?)  I think this would add value, but maybe I am an odd ball who loves living next to an alien observatory?….what do you think?  If you were house shopping, would you think this treehouse added to the property value or detracted from it….how about if you were considering a neighboring property? Let’s discuss.

Mr Chapman has until Nov 3rd to finish the treehouse (as he has said he would) and then tear it down….I do hope that he invites people to come for a visit and enjoy it as it was intended  before it is gone.  At least it will live in on peoples hearts and minds and they can pass it along – at least in story form – to future generations and hopefully inspire them to build their dreams.