The Amazing Tree Trainer...!

There was one gentleman who grew trees in many different shapes! He was a master of this unusual art.

Like many artist with an special talent, he never shared the secret of his "tree shaping" with anyone! Quite a few of his creations are still around and you can find pictures of some of them on the Internet, if you like!

Axel Erlandson

1884 – 1964

Erlandson started as an alfalfa farmer and started grafting and shaping tree trunks as a hobby. He would later over a period of decades train trees to grow into shapes of his own design. He experimented with birch, ash, elm and weeping willows, making loops, hearts, chairs, spiral staircases, zigzags, rings, birdcages, towers, picture frames and ladders. Erlandson found his trees to be a popular amusement and decided to create his “Tree Circus”. Erlandson would not tell anyone the secrets of his techniques and would carryout his graftings behind screens to protect against spies. Erlandson died in 1964 along with his amazing secret procedure used to propagate his trees.

Interesting Fact: In 1985, after the Tree Circus went out of business the trees were bought by millionaire Michael Bonfante and were transplanted in his amusement park Gilroy Gardens in Gilroy, California.

Isn't nice to know that some folks can assist Mother Nature just a bit by shaping some of her creations into growing works of art? What a creative and active imagination this man had!

Coffee outside again! The wind is starting to pick up some, but it can't blow the sunshine away!