Raising the canopy on a Acer

I have a 30 year old acer brilliantissimum in my garden, chosen because it wouldn't grow too large. It has been slow growing and has now reached a size of about 20 feet high but the bottom limbs are too close to the ground for me to stand under. I would like to raise the canopy to accommodate a tree seat. Would it spoil the look of the tree if I did this or would it recover and start to fill the overhead space?

 

Hi alana

You have a beautiful looking specimen there and it would be an absolute shame to do anything to it. The lower branches support a lot of the foliage in the lower part of the canopy, and removal of these limbs, I feel, would drastically alter the overall crown form. Although raising the crown is an option, you would need to sympathetically reduce the crown spread to regain the aesthetic value of the tree.

My opinion - leave the tree as it is and move the seat!

All the best,
Matthew