Hedging and hedges – Topiary

Yew and Box (Buxus Sempervirens) are the king and queen of topiary plants but there are many others – one thing to bear in mind if you’re determined to have a topiary hedge, or even just a single specimen plant, is that purchasing smaller sized plants is the best investment, as they will acclimatise to local conditions quicker – however, most topiary species are slow growing so you need to have some patience while waiting to get cutting.

Most topiarists work by eye, although you can buy basic frames or forms for certain shapes, (balls and spirals usually) and as long as you are a bit tentative with your first few cuts, you usually won’t make any horrible mistakes while you’re learning your craft. It’s also important to note that experienced topiarists will often say that while they had an idea of what they would shape a hedge into, the finished shapes may altered over the years by the growth pattern of the trees or bushes.

You should trim (because you are not pruning) your topiary hedge between May and September – and never cut if there's the faintest hint of frost because Box, in particular, is prone to die back if frost touches recently cut areas.

Because topiary involves creating a three dimensional object, its vital that you get on and off your ladder and look at your work from all sides during the process of cutting – it’s all too easy to forget this as you are working and to find that while one side of your topiary looks great, the side you’ve been ignoring is now completely unbalanced.

Hedge gardening topiary photograph by riley roxx, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

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