Topiary Advice Please

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Kristen, Nov 21, 2008.

  1. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I'm planning to grow some topiary. Not fancy animal shapes, just cones, obelisks [I'm meaning a cone with 4 flat sides], and some chess pawn-like shapes. (I'm saying this as I assume that means I don't need training wires to get the plants to grow into the necessary shape)

    I haven't go the first clue what to do!

    I'm going to plant some yew of a reasonable size (about 2.5M), but I expect they will not be very wide when they arrive.

    I also have 2 x 1M very bushy Box, and 4 x 1M Yew which I'm planning to make into about 1M or 1.5M topiary in tubs. Again, simple shapes.

    Do I just clip them to shape, and THEN let them thicken up - which will mean that they have very dense internal branching, but no "main artery" branches getting to the outside, or do I let them grow to the desired width / diameter and then start trimming?

    I'm minded that for hedges I have always clipped the sides once they get tot eh desired thickness, but let the tops grow a foot higher than desired final height, and then cut back to 6" below final height, and then trim the bushy re-sprouts at final height.

    For the large yews I am aiming for about 8' diameter when they are mature. I could achieve this, perhaps?? by planting a single central yew for height, and then, say, 4 or 6 smaller ones tightly around the base. But I wonder if this would be daft given that I think the only ones I've ever seen have been single-stem chappies.

    And if anyone has suggestions on the size of the tubs (e.g. litres of compost for a 1M to 1.5M topiary Box or Yew) that would be most helpful.

    Thanks.
     
  2. Pro Gard

    Pro Gard Gardener

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    I would let them spread cutting the sides VERY lightly each year to encourage growth.

    Id say for 1.5m topiary, a pot size of at least 40 litres for 1m around a 30 litre pot.
     
  3. pamsdish

    pamsdish Total Gardener

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    I fancied a cone with 3-4 flat sides , sort of pyramid shape, and i saw a demo of this somewhere,
    Plant your box or whatever shrub it is ,in your pot then push 3-4 canes down the pot sides , secore the tops together to make your wigwam shape, and anything that protrudes is what needs removing.
    since then i bought a wire squirrel shape cheap so i might use that in spring, but i do think the cone shapes are classier.
    i have the site its gardenersworld go to how to section or just put topiary in the search box
     
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