BCU - Fire
Contact B.Howe
Wire Trees
I'd like to introduce you to my wiretrees. They are made entirely by hand, so each tree is unique. The trees themselves are made only of bent wire, no soldering, welding, epoxies, or resins are employed. The bases are made of hypertufa, cast directly around the roots of the tree. The wire roots generally extend 4-6" into the base and are loosely woven to provide a good bond with the base and strong support.My original intentions for attempting to establish mosses or lichens on the base, was to try and convey a stronger feeling that these trees are truly living, dynamic structures for the garden. I am intrigued by the idea of the lifeless wire imitating nature while the base (traditionally a dead, functional element) is actually supporting life. However, I have recently been amazed by the number of people who can look at a bare wire tree and see it overgrown with Black-eyed Susan, or another such vine, which still creates that sense of seasonal change and life which I was striving for. I am more curious than ever to see what other uses people can find for the trees.
Ariel
Ariel is now on display at The Potting Shed in Cayuga, Ontario. She has a temporary seat near the main greenhouse and driveway, while a special bed is prepared and landscaped to suit her. From ground to tip, she stands roughly 5'6" high and is made from 14 ga. galvanized steel wire, and reaches out with approximately 110 branches. She is also the first of my trees to be put on display in a public area and has been well received by those who have viewed it. You are more than welcome to stop by if you wish to see her, or to get her new owners' opinion. The Joseph Street Tree
This tree is on display in my front yard, and is as yet unnamed. It stands nearly 5' tall (base included), is hand-made from 14 ga. galvanized steel wire, and proudly displays around 70 branches. I've placed it in one of my front flower beds to add a little height and winter interest. 
These are some of my smaller wire trees, not a great photo, but at least you can see them. There are better photos of some of these below if you wish to look that far. If you have any questions about these trees (as with anything else on this site) please don't hesitate to ask.
A small outdoor tree.
A couple of indoor trees.
This is currently one of my favorites. It sits on a pillar-style candle holder as a centerpiece for our kitchen table. It stands only 7" high (incl. base), is made from 24 ga. stainless steel, and sits in a hypertufa base. I've grown to like the candle holders as formal bases for the trees, however if you'd like to try and keep moss growing on it indoors I'd suggest using a shallow bonsai pot filled with sand. This way mor water is readily available to the base, and there is less mess when watering it.
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at the trees. If you have an interest in them, or would like to comment please feel free to contact me.
Brett