One of the popular trends in modern landscape design is topiary art. Topiaries are geometric shapes and sculptures made from garden plants. A similar way of decorating the landscape was born in ancient Rome.
From trees and bushes craftsmen create topiary figures in the form of balls, cubes, people and animals. Unusual creations allow you to make the garden different, alive and interesting.
Varieties
The art of creating sculptures from plants is diverse in technique and style. There are two types of topiary figures:
- traditional;
- wireframe.
Traditional technique means a finished tree, which is given the desired shape with the help of a haircut. Simple garden shapes (cubes, balls, cones) can be created by simple cutting by eye, without the use of other materials. Complex structures are obtained using a metal frame of a certain shape, dug into the ground near the plant. When the tree grows and starts to go beyond the borders of the frame, it is pruned, and as a result the desired figure is obtained.
Frame technology is inherently more painstaking. It differs from the traditional one by the presence of a special metal frame in which a tree or shrub is grown. Pre-makeframe, soil is placed in it for planting. Then the culture is planted. She, growing up, fills the frame. Branches that go beyond it are cut off. The plant is cared for by watering and trimming regularly.
Plants
Not every plant can make a green sculpture. Suitable should have the following features:
- resistance to winter frosts;
- undemanding to growing conditions;
- the presence of replacement shoots;
- specific crown shape;
- slow growth.
Plants differ in these properties:
- western thuja;
- common spruce;
- alpine currant;
- small-leaved elm;
- cotoneaster brilliant.
Of course, 3D shapes can also be created from other plants. And these cultures are most suitable for the climatic conditions of central Russia.
Today, many owners of their own garden plots use topiary landscaping. We will consider step-by-step descriptions of creating shapes below.
Frame method
The required frame can be made from 2-3 mm wire or purchased at a speci alty store. The finished frame has gaps for penetration inside. On top there is a cover for access to the inside of the sculpture, so that it is convenient to fill it with earthen substrate or moss. By the way, moss is soaked in water for 30 minutes before filling.
When filling the frame with a substrate, you need to make holes where climbers are plantedplants, herbs or succulents. Perfect for this:
- ivy;
- grapes;
- stone rose;
- looker;
- saxifrage.
When creating a topiary from climbing crops, plants with a clod of earth are transplanted from a plastic container into a metal frame, and the shoots are distributed along the rack and fixed with paper clips. To facilitate large topiary figures, bags with foam balls are placed inside.
Caring for the topiary, it is watered, trimmed, pinched. For the winter, the figure is brought into a cool room or simply covered with a warm box.
Express Topiary
Specialists have simplified the process of creating a topiary and proposed the following scheme:
- In spring, climbing plants (ivy, hops, grapes) are planted in the ground.
- A frame is installed above the landings.
- As the plants grow, their branches are distributed along the frame, fixed and cut.
- By the end of summer, the skeleton of the frame will be completely covered with green shoots.
- Further care consists of watering and cutting plants.
Classic technology
To create a topiary using traditional technology, you will need a lot of patience, imagination, as well as the presence of a sharp garden tool.
It's better to start with the simplest geometric shapes: a ball, a cone, a cube. It is best to cut plants in March-April or in summer. Cutting in the fall is not recommended, as this will undermine the plant before winter.
The scheme for creating a figure is as follows:
- An adult shrub or tree with powerful roots and a lush crown is selected. It can be spruce, hawthorn, black maple.
- On the earth's surface under a tree, a shape is drawn, for example a square, if a topiary figure is created in the form of a cube.
- Racks or sticks are placed in the corners of the square and fastened with planks. This will be an indicative frame.
- The plant is cut with trellis scissors, giving an approximate outline. It is better to start from the top, then process the sides.
- Check the sides for evenness and gradually trim them.
- Secateurs cut small protruding branches.
This is how simple garden shapes are created.
Complex geometric patterns
The ball is considered a complex figure in topiary art. It can be obtained from a cube by cutting its faces. Best suited for this purpose: thuja, barberry, yew, boxwood and other plants. So, for example, you can create a globe topiary figure using plants that differ in shades of green.
Cylindrical outlines are obtained from western arborvitae, larch, shadberry, linden. To get such a figure, adhere to the following scheme:
- A circle is drawn on the ground.
- Installing wooden stakes.
- Cut off the cylinder.
To create a cone-shaped figure, dig in three poles and fasten them at an imaginary top.
Next, you can start building pyramidal forms, spirals, tiers. Having learned how to make them, they move on to creationfigures of people and animals.
Traditional frame technology
When creating topiary figures, the frame can be used to simplify the process of cutting out the desired shapes from plants. To do this, you need a removable metal frame, which is installed on top of the tree. This technique is usually used by beginner topiaries.
The plant develops in a mesh frame, and the master only needs to cut off the broken branches. As soon as the crown is formed, the frame is removed. However, this is not always easy to do, often the tree grows together with its "rim". You need to remove the frame very carefully so as not to damage the crown.
Artificial topiary
Not everyone can create natural topiary. Artificial grass topiary figures are a great alternative to them. Their benefits are clear:
- does not need constant care;
- independence from climatic conditions;
- mobility - easy to move to any place;
- wonderful appearance, indistinguishable from natural compositions;
- affordable price.
The process of caring for artificial figures involves regular cleaning of dust and snow.
The elements of the figure are fixed on a wire frame. Imitated leaves and green fabric are used. The fantasy of the master in this case is not limited by anything. You can install such a creation outdoors or indoors.
Arttopiary is unusually diverse and attractive. No wonder it is gaining more and more fans. Starting with green figures in pots, you can move on to real garden masterpieces.
