Columns for rhythm -- maybe topiary -- ideas and experience sought.

Hello

I have a garden with some Eucalyptus gunnii which are cut down in Spring. By Autumn they have grown to narrow columns about 5 feet high and the effect is very good - the narrow columns punctuate the design of the garden and give it a rhythm.

My problem is to find something which will do the same trick in the late Spring and Summer.

Does anyone have any ideas? I was thinking Beech, but if so, does anyone have any experience of Beech topiary? Maybe some fruit tree.

 

I've got a few Golden Irish yew plants around the place, they stay quite narrow until you top them.
They do fatten up after that, but being yew you can trim as much as you like and it always responds.
Much more of a long term project though than Eucalyptus.

 

Indeed, I'd like to see it in my lifetime.

 

If you are thinking of column fruit trees , you could consider the Ballerina apple varieties, Minarette varieties and Super Column apple , pear and gage varieties.
All make columns of between 2m and 3m or so tall , depending on variety .

 

I wonder if anyone here has had experience with these things. Years ago I tried some pear varieties but they didn’t ever develop mature fruit and always looked a bit feeble. After about five years they went on the compost heap.

 

I am very happy with crab apple Laura which I put in a couple of years ago. Naturally columnar habit, attractive flowers and foliage, and this year already a quite substantial crop of biggish dark red crab apples,which made good jelly. It could be rather taller than you require, though - mine is already around 6 feet.

 

I don't quite understand the question its still morning I've not awoken yet, are you after upright / vertical shrubs or perennials ?