I was still editing my post to add some information but keep getting an error so here is the missing text instead:
Photo 1: Ulmus Glabra (Scots Elm):
This was a 15ft long sucker that grew from the parent tree that is part of my hedge. The tree is competing with several Field Maples for sunlight hence the weird long sucker that was completely void of branches and movement. I was about the remove it completely but I noticed near the bottom it had some character. So left it to about knee height to see if it could develop some interesting branching while still in the ground, might make a future bonsai. That was about 6 weeks ago.
Photo 2:
This is a Field Maple that started growing underneath several large flowering bushes. It could not remain there so it had to go. It was just a 6ft long branch without any ramification that was twisting it's way through some bushes trying to find some sunlight. I cut it back, dug it up with hardly any roots still intact. I was about to bin it but then decided I liked the movement and might aswell put it in a pot and see if it might survive. That was not even 3 weeks ago!! It's too soon to tell if it will survive at all but atleast it's showing signs of life.
make sure you thin them out and do not leave clusters of branches in a spot.
Talking about the Elm: I left 50cm of trunk measured from the ground. The diamater is 4cm and there is hardly any taper. So there is little doubt it will need to be chopped down further at some point. So knowing I will chop it down further, can I leave the entire cluster near the apex to help thicken the trunk or would that be counter productive?
I might aswell start a seperate thread about the elm anyway.