[Lulu]

Does anyone know what is this and does it it need pruning?  My sister has inherited it n her garden along with some others.

[ghost61]

Could it be a Cercis of some sort?  Are the leaves heart shaped?  If so, then it could be, the photo is not very clear.

[snowdrops]

Is it that lovely handkerchief tree? Does it have a white squarish flower, whatever it is with that leaf it's a keeper.

[New shoot]

I can't get the photo to expand and have a close look, but I think it might be Catalpa bignonioides aurea or Golden Leaved Indian Bean Tree 

[DD.]

I've now edited the photo to the IMG tags only, rather than link to the whole Photobucket site.

[New shoot]

Thank you Dave   

Yes - Catalpa then   

[sunshineband]

Yes it is Catalpa. We have several near here and they are splendid specimens 

[snowdrops]

Is that the handkerchief tree or am I thinking of something else?

[New shoot]

Is that the handkerchief tree or am I thinking of something else?

Hankerchief tree is Davidia involucrata   

[snowdrops]

Thank you

[Lulu]

Thanks for techie support DD, and I will let my sister know your answers.  Knew I could rely on you guys thanks

[jaydig]

I agree - it's a Catalpa, or Indian bean tree. I have one in the garden, and although Catalpas do flower, and are then followed by long, dark, pods that look like beans, mine doesn't because I keep it heavily pruned. If you let one grow unchecked it makes a massive tree. They don't mind heavy pruning, and the benefit is that pruning makes the leaves grow enormous, making the tree quite a feature.

[Lulu]

It is already quite big, bit of a neglected garden.  You should have seen the bamboo and there is grapevine every where as well

[jaydig]

You could easily cut that down to about a foot above the forks if you wanted to, andit would mind a bit.

[mobilekat]

I am glad they don't mind pruning, we have one in our new garden, and Its been hacked back a bit as I kept walling into one of the branches
OH was a tad miffed as he thought it may take exception, but I told him all things benefit from a trim!