The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is the largest botanical garden in the United States and the home to tens of thousands of trees.

One tree that stood for nearly 100 years was among a handful that had been chopped down for being damaged, diseased or dead.

Most of these are turned into mulch. But the garden has found a unique way to repurpose some of these trees.

Ivan Braun started coming 10 years ago to inspect trees, load up ones he is interested in and take them back home to his Bronx workshop.

That is where he transforms trees into unique bowls.

“It can live another century,” Braun said.

It is called woodturning. And the process — where wood whirls on a machine and is sculpted — is not an easy skill. 

“It’s a little bit like how hard is it to play a sonata,” Braun said when asked how difficult it is.

Most of the time, he is alone in his workshop, using tools passed down from his father and grandfather.

“It takes your mind off everything else," Braun said.

In a few hours, the bowl is nearly complete. Eventually, they will be for sale inside the New York Botanical Garden gift shop.

“It’s great to be able to give something that second life,” Braun said.

Braun said he has made 1,500 bowls. By selling them, money goes back to the garden to help sustain plant life in the city.

But time is now ticking. Braun does this for fun. It’s his second act, kind of like his bowls.

“It’s not an easy hobby to start. I would like to eventually find someone to pass it on to," Braun said. "I don’t have children so it [cannot] go in my family.”

It is unclear if someone will become Braun's apprentice. His focus for now, however, is finishing his next bowl.