Topiary. Rules for cutting and trimming hedges from shrubs and vines

Topiary, or topiary (Topiary) is one of the oldest areas of landscape gardening art, which consists in the long-term formation of decorative forms from plants by growing trees, shrubs and semi-shrubs in a certain way and subsequent regular shearing to maintain the desired appearance. Creations can be very diverse - geometric, abstract, architectural or depict animals and people.

The word "topiary" has Latin and ancient Greek roots. From the Latin "topiarius" is translated as "gardener", "topiaria" means "horticultural art", and the Latin "topia" is a fresco depicting a landscape (miniature landscape). Ancient Greek origin is associated with the word "τόπος" - "place". The belonging of the roots of the name to such ancient civilizations makes it clear how ancient the art of decorative tree cutting itself is.

The founder of topiary art is considered to be a friend of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, a gardener Knei Matii, who lived in the 1st century BC. BC. and for the first time presenting this art form to the public. The first written descriptions of topiary plants have their roots in ancient Rome. The Roman consul Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, compiled in about 77 AD. e., and the poet Mark Valery Martial in their epigrams described the unusual trimmed green forms seen in local gardens. In the letters of Pliny the Younger (61-113 AD) there were descriptions of complex figures of animals and birds, inscriptions, initials of the owners or masters who created living splendor, obelisks, hedges that adorned the gardens of his Tuscan villa.

Despite written evidence, many historians believe that the fashion for topiary came to Ancient Rome from Persia and Ancient Egypt, where people preferred a harmonious combination of functionality and external form and actively applied this principle in architecture and landscape. Then geometric gardens with fountains, straight paths, decorative borders and neatly trimmed hedges and bushes became widespread.

Together with the Roman conquerors, topiary art also conquers the expanses of Europe, mastering new green landscapes. However, the harsh medieval times allowed the masters of artistic shearing of plants to practice their craft only in those territories that surrounded the gardens of monasteries and castles of feudal lords.

Some time later, in the Renaissance, the topiary receives a new round in its development. Then luxurious gardens began to appear in Europe with neatly trimmed borders framing flower beds and paths, bizarre plant labyrinths and entire green rooms formed by high walls of trees. Also popular were plants made in the form of a ball, cube, pyramid, cone, spiral, depicting people, animals and other intricate figures. In Italy in those days, every self-respecting wealthy owner considered it his duty to have an exquisite garden, where ordinary shrubs turned into green chapels, colonnades, and even cardinals created from foliage.

By the 17th century, the art of topiary was developing more and more and gaining strength - that century became golden for ornamental gardening. During this period, one of the first formal gardens was created by order of King Louis XIV - the garden of the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, designed by the architect Andre le Notre. Despite the fact that the topiary at Versailles was very simple: low hedges trimmed in the form of a ball of tree crowns, obelisks, etc., they had many imitators, and their style was an example for many European monarchs for many years. In Holland, more complex designs were popular. It was this Franco-Dutch horticultural style, involving the creation of real masterpieces of topiary art, that after 1660 spread to the territory of England, where this trend was strongly developed.

The 8th century was not the most prosperous topiary for gardening art - sharp protests were directed at it, Pope Alexander ridiculed and harshly criticized it. Then there was a rapid return to natural garden landscapes. The art of curly haircut was persecuted, many gardens in England were even destroyed and burned. For many years, luxurious boxwood figures and hedges were forgotten and depreciated, and only in the 19th century slowly began to penetrate the gardens and landscape parks of Europeans. And, as it turned out, two completely dissimilar styles - topiary curly haircut and natural landscape landscape get along very well together, forming unique garden and park compositions. The end of the 19th century was the impetus for the revival of primordially English old gardens with topiary shrubs, yew hedges and neatly trimmed lawns. Thus was born a style that is now considered exclusively British.

A new impetus to topiary art was given by the introduction of the American compact style, which proposed the use of wire frames to create green sculptures. It was first used at Disneyland around 1962. Walt Disney used it to recreate cartoon characters throughout the theme park. This style of topiary is based on creating a certain shape from a wire frame, with which the plants get the desired look. This technique allows craftsmen to bring the most daring ideas to life, and provides an excellent opportunity for amateur gardeners to practice topiary art on their own. The frame topiary quickly gained a large number of fans and was regularly shown at various art exhibitions, festivals and other events on this topic.

Today, interest in the art of topiary has not faded at all, moreover, it has grown significantly and enjoys incredible popularity. Over the past decades, examples of curly cuttings of plants have been obligatory guests of international exhibitions dedicated to landscape art.

Gardeners distinguish two types of topiary art - traditional and American (frame topiary). The first involves growing a plant and then giving it the desired shape. The American species requires the use of a frame at the initial stage of planting. This technique works in three directions. The first is the use of a frame divided into its component parts, which makes it possible to fill its internal volume with sphagnum moss, which gradually hides the metal base. The result is a green sculpture that is attractive to the eye and touch. It needs to be trimmed periodically. In the second direction, peat is also added to the moss, which will be an excellent basis for growing other plants (climbing, flowering, etc.). The third direction is even easier. In this case, climbing plants are planted next to the wire frame, braiding the stems proposed by him. Filled figures need to be watered and fertilized regularly.

The classical process of creating green sculptures and figured forms is laborious and painstaking, requiring many years of tireless work. It is necessary to grow future topiary masterpieces from childhood, directing their branches year after year and gradually forming a crown, and then maintain the achieved result by regularly trimming extra branches and leaves. The shortest period for which you can grow a small animal-themed topiary is 6-7 years. The creation of a future masterpiece begins with planting and fertilizing the plant with stimulating top dressings that activate growth. In the second year, you can begin to form skeletal branches, and only after five years will the silhouette of the future topiary begin to take shape. The optimal period for pruning is the second half of February-March, until sap flow begins. A small haircut can be carried out during the growth of the shoots. Creating clear forms requires combining pruning with pinching fast-growing shoots, as well as removing buds that interfere with proper development.

The plants most commonly used in topiary art are evergreen shrubs and trees with small leaves or needles, producing dense foliage and characterized by the capacity for compact or columnar (e.g. conical) growth. The main types traditionally used for curly haircuts include evergreen boxwood, thuja, noble laurel, holly, members of the myrtle family, yew and privet.

Although wire frames are used to create many figures today, with the help of which the desired shape is formed faster, the traditional art form of topiary is considered the most revered, because it requires patience and a steady hand of the master. So using rich centuries-old experience and various modern technologies, you can create an unsurpassed original garden design.

Curly haircut of bushes and trees allows you to add colorful accents to the landscape design that will attract admiring glances from visitors. Sheared figures from vegetation can act as independent objects or serve as an excellent addition to garden and park design.

For this, plants with a dense and lush crown are used. During the trimming process, it is possible to avoid through sections that will spoil the finished result. Most often, columnar arborvitae, evergreen boxwood or Thunberg barberry are used here.

On average, the age of the plant reaches from 2 to 5 years from the moment of planting. At this time, thick foliage is noted, which will act as a decorative figure.

How are plant figures created?

There are several techniques for giving a certain shape to the shrub. Here special garden shears are used for cutting bushes. They have a sharp base and tight clamps thanks to which they manage to control the force of pressure on the wood base.

What forms can be obtained in the process of cutting? There are several basic forms and models of green art. These include:

Ball. Two ways of cutting with garden shears for bushes have been developed here. The first is to give a spherical shape using a visually drawn horizontal line. After that, the side parts that are not included in the overall composition are removed. The second is based on the formation of a rounded shape and the removal of excess branches along the side lines.

cube. The technology of such a haircut takes place in several steps. To do this, use scissors for cutting bushes and grass. The tool has a sharp and thin base, which quickly cuts off all unnecessary.

Pyramid. Wooden guides are also used here, which are fixed at the base of the ornamental plant. When connected to each other, they should form a kind of cone or pyramid with a sharp top.

Cylinder. In the process of cutting, it is important to correctly observe the proportion of the volume and the guide line. A metal frame made of thick wire will help to facilitate the task. It is attached along the entire length of the bush. Extra elements come over the edges of the metal structure.

Spiral. This haircut technique is designed to create unusual shapes and compositions. It is designed for tall plant species. A wooden stick is fixed next to the stem. After that, the young plant is wound in a spiral. So, continue along the entire length of this base.

Each turn of the bush is fixed with twine. After that, a decorative haircut is carried out. The wooden base remains until the plant takes on a spiral shape.

What is the difference between pruning and shearing?

Pruning of trunks and branches is intended to update the external state of the decorative breed. Here, each movement is performed in random order.

The meaning of the haircut is to give a beautiful shape, which in the future will decorate the garden area. It uses special equipment and tools.

For example, to create a hedge, it is necessary to mold the plant base. It represents the vertical movement of the scissors along the entire growth line of the bushes. The result is a smooth green wall, which is used for zoning the garden area.

Decorative haircut includes several types:

topiary. Here they cut out the figures of animals or any three-dimensional objects;
trapezoidal. It is considered the most difficult. For beginner gardeners, it is recommended to make a wooden frame that will facilitate the task;
rounded. It is also distinguished by its complexity and beauty. The finished figure has smooth and streamlined lines. These figures are used for front gardens in a regular style. The haircut photo shows the best options for decorative garden decoration.

Before proceeding with a decorative haircut, it is recommended to carefully examine the condition of the leaf plates and the direction of the shoots. These criteria are the key to an ideal result.

Photo cutting bushes

Well-groomed and beautifully trimmed trees and shrubs ennoble the garden. To give the plants a decorative shape, you need to try: choose the right crops and planting site, provide care and carry out a regular curly haircut. In this article I will share tips on how to cut trees and shrubs even for a novice gardener.

What to consider when cutting trees and shrubs

1. Plant selection

To get started, decide on your climate zone and select ornamental trees and shrubs that will grow on the site without problems. For example, I will give a fence from boxwood . It looks luxurious, the plant tolerates a haircut by 5 points, but it grows reluctantly in the Moscow region, it simply freezes out. This evergreen shrub is ideal for the southern regions.

2. Choosing a landing site

For a plant that is planned to be cut and shaped into a crown, you need to carefully choose a place for planting. It should be open - sunlight will prevent the inner branches from rotting. After all, after periodic haircuts, the branches grow thicker and more magnificent. If a tree or shrub grows in the shade, the leaves, as a rule, become small, and the crown itself is looser.

3. Choosing the shape of the crown

Decide on the shape of the crown: you need a compact ball or a tall elongated cone. The shade and shape of needles or leaves also play an important role in landscape design.

First of all, for decorative cutting of trees and shrubs, you will need a lot of patience, diligence and a good eye.

Start by shearing a leafy plant

For the "first time" choose a deciduous plant. A tree or shrub with leaves is the easiest to tolerate a haircut, quickly builds up a green mass, which allows you to hide flaws when cutting. In deciduous plants, you can quickly form the desired figure - their growth rate is much faster than that of coniferous plants.

Increase the number of new shoots

Before achieving the desired decorative shape of the plant, you will need to carry out several haircuts. You need to cut the shoots by 1/3 to provoke the emergence of new ones. Each new cut of the shoot should be made slightly higher than the previous one, leaving 2-3 buds. If you cut the plant all the time in one line, then soon it will become bare and lose its attractiveness.

Stick to cutting times

Haircut is best done in the spring.

For the Middle Band, the optimal time for cutting is March - April, before the start of active sap flow.
There are plants that tolerate shearing well during the summer.
In autumn, it is better not to perform such procedures and let the plant prepare for the winter. If necessary, some unpretentious plants are sheared in the fall, after leaf fall.
Coniferous plants are best cut in early spring or after the appearance of new shoots (late June - early July).

During the season, 2-3 shaping haircuts can be carried out, depending on the well-being of the plant and its new increased leaf mass.

Follow the cutting direction

Cut from top to bottom!

Take proper care of your plant

Ornamental plants need regular watering, loosening, mulching and fertilizing. Competently performing all agricultural practices suitable for the selected plant, you will accelerate its growth and make it stress-resistant to periodic haircuts.

Choose your cutting tool

The presence of professional tools will facilitate the work and make it fast and fun. Any garden center sells secateurs, clippers, garden saws. My advice: don't skimp on the tool! Yes, a good pruner is expensive, but believe me, it will pay off handsomely. Such tools serve for more than one year, or even several decades, rarely break and greatly simplify the work. All tools must be sharp and disinfected.
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Various types of barberries, but Thunberg is the best,
various types of thuja (Western, Danica),
Red viburnum,
Irga,
Derain white,
Euonymus,
hawthorn,
different types of willow,
Privet,
cotoneaster,
Spirea,
boxwood,
Tis, etc.

Trimming trees and shrubs in the shape of a ball

In order for ornamental trees and shrubs in the shape of a ball to appear on your site, you need to choose the right plants that themselves grow in the form of a ball in their natural form.

Plants for haircuts in the form of a ball:

Thuja Western Globoza,
globular willow,
thuja Danica,
spirea,
deren,
cotoneaster shining.

How to cut to shape a ball:

A special tool is sold for cutting a spherical shape. It looks like a rod to which a semicircle of wire of the desired diameter is attached. If desired, such a design is easy to build with your own hands.
First, the bush is cut on the sides, for example, outlining the "north" and "south".
Then they find east, west, northeast, northwest, etc.
When the anchor points are found, the remaining sections are cut to the same length.

Haircut curly hedge

Curly hedge will decorate any garden!

Plants for creating a curly hedge:

juniper,

How to cut a curly fence:

You need to plant plants in a row, you can use seeds, keeping a distance of about 80 cm between them.
After the plants grow to a height of about 50 cm, the crown is cut off with secateurs, provoking the growth of side shoots. So the fence will turn out thick and dense.
When the plants grow a little more, you can create different lines along the surface of the hedge. It can be smooth or hard straight lines located at different heights.

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Cutting trees and shrubs in the shape of a cube

Plants to create a decorative cube:

Spirea,
privet.

How to cut to give a cubic shape:

In order to form a decorative cube, it is best to plant 5 plants: four in the corners of the cube, and the fifth in the center.
The crown of the plant should be very dense. To ensure increased density when cutting the plant, cut off the shoot above the bud, which looks inside the crown.
You can cut "by eye" or make sure with the help of wooden slats and ropes, placing them at the right distance.

Cutting trees and shrubs in the shape of a cone

To create a decorative cone, you can use the usual thin slats.
Place them at the base of the plant, and tie them along the central axis at the top.
Cut off all protruding branches.
When cutting trees, you do not need to touch the lower branches and the central shoot, cutting only the side ones.

Each plot of land is decorated with green spaces. Having the skills of cutting, you can give shrubs and trees any shape from geometric shapes to images of people and animals.

All green spaces need pruning and crown formation from time to time. In addition to sanitary and rejuvenating procedures, each bush or tree can be given a certain shape using various tools.

To work effectively, the tool must meet the requirements:

Blades - sharp, narrowed at the end;
The handle is non-slip for comfortable working.
The color is bright, it will help you easily find an abandoned tool;

Pruning tools are manual, battery, gasoline, electric.

Hand tools

They are divided into amateur and professional. Professional ones are more expensive, but also more reliable, they are convenient to work with, they will serve much longer, they have a wider range of applications. When buying, choose manufacturers that have proven themselves for a long time: Gardena, Fiskars, Felko, Rako. Good reviews from the domestic manufacturer Mekhinstrument.

Garden secateurs

Secateurs are designed for trimming branches up to 30 mm thick.

Before making a choice, check the cutting ability of the pruner on a paper sheet.

Secateurs have a different configuration and purpose: for flowers, plants with thorns, for grass, for grapes and, of course, the classic one. Pruners can also be selected for hands of different sizes and for left-handed people.

Secateurs come with one or two cutting blades. There are two blades - they move towards each other, they work like scissors, it is difficult to cut a thicker branch with such a tool. Choose a pruner with a single blade - the driving blade bites the branch when it reaches the stop of the lower lip. There must be a return spring in the design.

garden loppers

Lopper has elongated handles, the principle of operation is the same as that of the secateurs. The cutting ability is higher than that of a secateurs, cuts branches up to 50 millimeters thick. During operation, it must be held with both hands. It has a certain advantage over pruners, as it can cut high branches.

garden shears - hedge trimmers

They resemble scissors, have long handles and are designed for trimming green hedges and tending shrubs, giving them a neat shape. Branch diameter up to 15 mm.

To facilitate and speed up the work in the formation of the crown, you can use tools that run on batteries, gasoline or electricity. Undoubtedly, such tools must be in your arsenal if you plan to ennoble your shrubs and trees.

garden saw

garden knives

Designed for correcting the shape, trimming dry and young branches. Will be an undoubted help when working with shrubs and trees. They have a curved blade for ease of use.

Garden tools petrol, accumulator, electric.

This type of tool, of course, may be needed for sawing off thick and stem branches. Use it to trim living branches. Choose only reputable manufacturers, as they produce a tool that can cut branches as accurately as possible without causing harm.

Manufacturers that are popular, have a long service life and are easy to use: Husqvarna, Bosch, Gardena, Stihl, Echo.

AccuCut Gardena cordless scissors

These cordless scissors will surely make gardening easier. Light enough, processing speed is much higher than a hand tool. The cut is even and precise. With the help of such scissors, it is easy to create sculptures from shrubs and trees.

Advantage - you can also cut the grass around a tree or shrub.

It is easy to gain experience with such a tool. Equipped with a charge level indicator.

electric garden shears

They work from the electric city, respectively, you can use an unlimited amount of time without recharging. The cord, up to 30 meters long, provides a wide carrying area. Lightweight and relatively inexpensive.

Cannot be used during rain!

petrol garden shears

Gas shears will always come in handy when working with green spaces. You can work with such a tool in any weather - they are not afraid of moisture and rain, do not require recharging, and have long knives.

They require refueling with gasoline, tracking oil changes, heavy in weight.

Shrub shears reviews

When choosing any product, we are guided by the advice of sellers and customer reviews. Undoubtedly, each tool, manual or mechanical, has its own advantages. Good reviews are usually well-known manufacturers. Since they care about their customers, give a guarantee for their products, have a network of service centers, telephone hotlines. In company stores you can buy original spare parts.

The form of cutting shrubs, photo

Having mastered a variety of tools, you can start cutting your favorite trees and shrubs. Think about the design and the result you want to get.

Shape - ball

Form - hedge

triangular shape

Lion figure

Stepped haircut

topiary haircut

hedge

Alpine garden

Figures of people

Decorative shrub haircut, master class secrets and tips

If you set out to transform your garden,

Think over the work plan and design;
Draw on a piece of paper a plan of the area where your pets grow;
Consider the shape of each tree, taking into account its features;
If necessary, create a template for which you will cut the bush;
Prepare gloves if your shrub is thorny;
Get the right tools, learn the rules of cutting and get to work.

Do the first haircut in the spring, before the formation of buds, above the ground at least one third. First of all, cut off old and dry branches, as well as branches and leaves touched by pests and diseases.
Then shape into the shape that the bush allows.

When planning the cutting of bushes and trees, consider the biological characteristics, the ability to grow, to form shoots throughout the season. choose slow-growing plants with small leaves.

♦ thuja, viburnum, cherry laurel, larch, linden, cotoneaster, acacia, boxwood, wild rose, euonymus, cinquefoil, barberry, hawthorn, pine, spruce, juniper.

examples

Boxwood is ideal for giving a variety of shapes. It is fairly bushy and grows well. Lives up to four hundred years. Keep in mind that it does not tolerate frost well.

Boxwood before shearing

Boxwood after shearing

Cotoneaster is perfect for a decorative haircut, bushes well, can be used for hedges and creating a variety of shapes.

Cotoneaster before haircut

Cotoneaster after haircut

Privet is not a whimsical plant, it has many species. Can go without a haircut for a long time. But it will look like an ordinary plant. Shaping ennobles this shrub and gives personality to the garden.

Privet before haircut

Privet after haircut

Euonymus is a real decoration of any garden. It responds very positively to a haircut, begins to grow more efficiently. It must be remembered that the fruits of this tree are poisonous.

Euonymus before haircut

Euonymus after haircut

Hawthorn, spirea, honeysuckle, hazel respond with gratitude after pruning.

Several ways to bring green spaces in order:

shortening - cut off the tops that have just sprouted.
thinning - to avoid excessive density.
rejuvenation - removal of old and dry branches.
pruning - removal of protruding branches.

Use only high-quality tools of well-known companies.

Curly haircut of a bush, step by step instructions with a photo

The shape of the shrubs can be varied. It all depends on the plant itself, where it is located and how it fits into the design of the site.

Tools suitable for this purpose are garden shears, manual, gasoline, electric, battery. If you have no experience, start with the simplest shapes - a ball, a square, a cone.

Visually divide the shrub into two parts with a horizontal stripe. Cut her out.
Perpendicular to the horizontal strip, cut vertical stripes on four sides at the same distance from each other.
The remaining branches are leveled relative to the trimmed strips.

Use a wire template in the form of a semicircle, move it along the plant.

Another way is to put together a cube from wooden blocks, so that it can be put on a bush. Trim a square on each side first, then trim the corners.

Standard boxwood, haircut in the form of a ball

Place four slats, which will form a square, around the bush.
Fasten the horizontal strips between the rails from above.
Cut from top to bottom.

This form of shearing is done with a rope, one end of which is tied to the top and coiled around the plant. This creates a contour. Starting to cut, along the contour, cut off a small layer, step back and see how beautiful it turns out. If everything is in order, continue cutting. Don't leave a bare trunk. Use garden shears and secateurs.

A frame is made in the form of a cone - with three, four corners, as many as possible. It is put on a bush and cut.

If you have mastered the techniques of cutting simple shapes, you can try to create a more complex sculpture with your own hands. The art of creating masterpieces from green spaces is called topiary. There is no limit to fantasy here. You just need to choose a suitable tree or bush.

You will need:

A blank is a template for the shape you want to draw. Such a template can be bought in a special store, or you can make it yourself from a metal wire with a diameter of at least six millimeters. It is ideal to use the machine for welding. If this is not the case, the wire is tied

Templates are:

portable - put on a bush before cutting;
stationary - the template is placed on the shrub, as the shrub grows, it fills the template, when the template is filled with greenery, the shrub is cut off according to the template.
fillable - the template is filled with soil, moss, peat, where plants are planted, pruning is done around the template.

Topiary haircut examples:

In order to form a hedge, you will need: rope, posts, scissors. Install posts along the bushes, stretch a rope or fishing line between them. The tension should be strong, parallel to the ground. Next, try to cut without going beyond the limits outlined by the rope.

The following plants are best suited for hedges: hawthorn, vine, linden, derain, boxwood, acacia, hornbeam, beech, thuja, conifers, purple willow, vesicle. Choose plants that grow well in your climate.

For regions with an unstable climate, Barberry Thunberga is very well suited for the formation of a hedge.

If you decide to only plant your plants for a live hedge, you can put up a fence first, the height of which depends on the chosen location, the selected plants and your preferences. It may not be a high fence at all, which will serve as a border for a flower bed or a certain area in the garden. Or a fence with which you want to decorate the front of your site or the entire perimeter.

Conifers are ideal for cutting and shaping. They have a plastic crown, they tolerate pruning well, you can create figures of any complexity.

Shearing can begin no earlier than a year after planting.
When choosing a shape, consider the natural shape of the plant.
Don't leave branches bare. Most conifers do not have dormant buds, the branch will remain bare.
Consider the weather outside. Make a haircut at a temperature above five degrees.
Do not start cutting during the period when the plant has active growth - early spring and first half of summer.
After cutting, spray the crown with Epin.

Most conifers are poisonous! Wear gloves. Wash your hands well after work

Tui haircut in the form of a pyramid

Japanese haircut. Japanese white pine. Nivaki style is akin to bonsai, but can grow indefinitely. You need to create this style, starting with a young plant. For the middle lane, Scotch pine is suitable. You can use juniper, spruce. Remove terminal shoots. Form branches in the form of pillows. The taller the tree, the smaller the pillow should be.