Essay On Topiary

Topiary: Training Nature to Grow into Art

European Topiary dates back to the Roman Times as early as 1 AD where it was first introduced by Cnaeus Matius Calvinus. Topiary is the art or method of pruning and trimming trees and shrubs into various ornamental shapes and sizes. Topiarists carefully clip the foliage of plants to form shapes that may be geometric or whimsical. The word ‘topiary’ comes from the latin word ‘topiarius’ which means a creator of landscape spaces. Topiary was made for ornamental purposes as it adds aesthetic appeal and character to almost any garden taking many structures ranging from simple hedges to more aspiring parterres and mazes. Any small touch of topiary in a garden can instantly make it more attractive and inviting to spend time

The characteristics of a plant play a high significant role in determining weather or not it is suitable for topiary. Some of these qualities include high density of texture and foliage, slow growth rate, small leaves or needles and compact or columnar growth patterns. Therefore the most convenient evergreen plants for topiary are European box (Buxus sempervirens), arborvitae (Thuja species), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), holly (Ilex species), myrtle (Eugenia or Myrtus species), yew (Taxus species), and privet (Ligustrum species). The most common evergreen bush is the Box known for its glossy dark green leaves and slow growth. This plant produces yellow flowers in the spring and greenish brown fruits in the summer season. The Box bush is mostly trimmed between May and September into hedges because of its high tolerance of tight pruning. The Box’s preference is partial shade but it can tolerate full sun to some extent. However, high intensity and long hours in then sun and strong winds can cause the bush leaves to become scorched. The Chinese Privet is an evergreen compact shrub that is known for attracting birds and insects to gardens. Producing white