Topiary is one of the most impressive forms of gardening there is. The art form of crafting trees and shrubs into a particular silhouette, with such attention to detail, is stunning to say the least. However, those wanting to start practising topiary for themselves may be a bit daunted or put off by the amount of effort required to perfect their new craft. Every skill requires some patience and perseverance when starting out. As a topiary garden centre, we’re here to share our top topiary tips that will have you up and running in no time.
Choose the right plant
You don’t want to start off by attempting complex shapes which take years to master. Starting small is the best way forward as you hone your skills. What you need is a plant that is easy to grow – and even easier to prune – to get you accustomed to topiary in general. The faster your tree grows, the more opportunities you’ll have to get that perfect shape. You wouldn’t want your plant to be too tall either. By keeping it on the smaller side, you’re keeping your potential mistakes to a minimum. Box wood and bay tree plants are very suitable options.
Choose a simple shape
It takes a lot of practice to get skilled at shaping topiary – it’s certainly not something that will happen overnight. going to take a lot of practice and the best way to start is choosing a simple shape. Start off easy with either a ball, cube or pyramid shape, which will get you accustomed to the process. Having a shape in mind before pruning will make it easier for you to visualise your ideas, and make the actual act of pruning simpler.
Encourage growth
When pruning your plant, one of the main things you don’t want to happen is branches breaking and falling out of place. Taking care of your plants isn’t down to just aesthetics, you have to ensure they’re growing strong and healthy. To preserve the health of your plants, feed them Growmore fertiliser every year as a simple yet effective way to ensure they receive all the nutrients they need. This will help promote healthy growing plants and reduce the chances of weakness which can lead to breakage. In addition, apply an organic mulch to your plants every Spring.
Use a frame
Topiary might be an unfamiliar hobby if you’ve never done anything like it before. As a result, your hands and perception might be a bit unsteady – and that’s fine, you’ll get your experience levels up soon enough! In the meantime, you can use a frame for the shape you want your tree to be, offering a physical guide which will serve as a great reference point. This could be as simple as using a wooden frame or making your own template.
Consider your placement
While you want to show off your new topiary plant and have it as the centre of attention, you’ll also have to ensure its planted in a way that will promote its health. Before you decide where it goes, research the requirements for how your plant can remain healthy, especially in terms of location and hardiness. There are a few factors you need to take into consideration, such as whether the tree should be planted in a container or in the ground. Universal measures that you’ll need to take for all plants is to water them regularly and place them in well-drained soil that has partial access to shade or complete sunshine.
To find the plant that’s right for you, visit us at LovePlants. As a topiary garden centre, we specialise in selling a wide variety of trees that suit every level of gardener, from beginners to experts. Our experts can help you find your feet and guide you on your way to becoming a topiary master. In addition to our range of plants and trees, we also hold workshops from time to time.
