Topiary

Plants, Frames and Trees

Topiary is the art of ‘plant sculpture’, clipping and training trees and shrubs into sculptural shapes. It is used to create traditional gardening shapes as well as animals, characters and even corporate logos.

Topiary plants and trees are a popular garden art which involves the shaping of plants to create sculptural forms.

Best Plants For Topiary

• In general the shrubs used have small leaves and dense foliage. English Box and Lily Pilly  are popular plants used in Australia.
• Plants used for vary greatly, in general evergreen, small leafed fast growing plants are most popular.
• Solanums, Ficus, Rosemary, Olives, Conifers, Yew and Hebes are other commonly used plants.
• Frames can be used as a guide for growing.

Specialist growers or nurseries can provide a range of shapes including,  spirals, pom-pom, cloud pruned, traditional shapes,  animals and more. Frames are not as widely available in Australia as in the UK, Europe or USA.

Shapes range from simple spirals through to animals. We often hear of ‘cloud pruned topiary’ especially from the UK. This is the art of pruning plants so that the foliage appears in tight ‘clouds’ on long stems. Hornbeams (carpinus) are used widely in Europe, in Australia Conifers and Boxwood are more common. Very popular at the Chelsea Garden Show…..

How To Grow Topiary

In Australia, this type of plant is mostly grown in containers as specimens and features. Top quality potting mix needs to be used to ensure that the plant continues to grow and perform at its best.

Frames are usually made from wire and act as a guide for growing more intricate shapes such as animals.

Container grown plants also must have excellent drainage and regular fertiliser to maintain optimum appearance.

Pruning times need to considered, best when plants are in active growth, however not during summer when high temperatures can easily burn the flush of new growth brought on by pruning.

Topiary Plants and Trees For Sale in Australia

DIACO'S GARDEN NURSERY
Online and Retail Melbourne and Geelong based garden centres. Check out their large range of indoor and outdoor plants, Australian Natives, Fruit Trees and Edibles, Succulents, Gardenias, Camellias, Hydrangeas plus a full range garden products for delivery in Melbourne.
www.diacos.com.au

GARDEN EXPRESS - phone :1300 606 242
470 Monbulk-Silvan Road Monbulk VIC 3793
"Guaranteed mail order flowering bulbs, perennials, roses, trees, landscaping plants, garden accessories and community fundraising Austra lia-wide."
www.gardenexpress.com.au