The art of topiary or ornamental pruning has had a certain period of fame a few years ago thanks to the famous film by Tim Burton the young hands of scissors. There, ornamental pruning is brought to paroxysm in truly original forms like dinosaurs, giant hands, mythological animals, to name a few. It is worth specifying that the geometric forms, more typical of the aesthetics of our days, are also encompassed within the topiary.
The plants for ornamental pruning must have body. The ideal are those with thick branches, small leaves and a rather compact structure, that is, not grow as much to the sides as up. In turn, the shrubs and trees chosen for topiary work must have perennial foliage, so that all the leaves do not fall in the changes towards the cold seasons, but that they rotate and they renew, staying green, throughout the year.
In private gardens, very striking elements appear as isolated focal points that quickly attract the eye. Where they are best left is formal gardens, but in most situations they go well as an element of enhancement of a space. Their biggest drawback is that they give more work than other plants because they require regular pruning. The fact is that they either stay perfectly profiled or better not topiary, as carelessness is noticeable too.
Plants ideal for topiary or ornamental pruning
- Aligustre, cone-shaped or ball.
- Cypress, cone-shaped or obelisk.
- Ficus benjamina, shaped like a ball.
- Clear Ficus, shaped like an umbrella.
- Laurel, shaped like a ball or obelisk
- Leilandi, cone-shaped, ring or spiral
- Pitosporo, in the form of an umbrella.
- Tagus, cone-shaped, obelisk or cubes.
Some shrubs for ornamental pruning are: the holly, the Aligustre, Boj, Evony, Ivy, the Laurel, Lonicera, Myrto, Pitosporo, Tejo, Teucrio, etc.
