Chain Me to the Wall: Espaliering Basics

Have you ever wanted a gorgeous magnolia tree in your
landscape, but never thought you had the room? Has the
thought of an arching forsythia in your miniature courtyard
nagged at your mind? Oh, if only you had the room . . . or
do you? You could form the desired shrubbery to grow to your
needs through a pruning process known as espaliering.

Espalier (pronounced es-PAL-yay) pruning is a technique that
flattens the plant in order to grow across a wall or fence.
Suppressing the plant to grow only up and not out
re-engineers it to fit into smaller areas. Originally
devised to fit fruit trees into European courtyards, this
pruning technique is still used today to great effect.

Espaliers can bring many different attributes to your
garden. Their whimsically pruned shape forms them into a
two-dimensional plane and a whole new level of gardening
attraction. Not only are they visually interesting, their
shape allows them to fit into tight spaces often found with
small lots and courtyards. Also, if it is an espaliered
fruit tree, the smaller size allows light to reach all parts
of the tree and allows for convenient picking at harvest
time. There is no messing about with ladders and cramped
necks after harvesting from an espaliered apple tree!

Creating an espaliered tree or shrub in your landscape can
be challenging, but well-worth the time and effort involved.
Pre-trained plants can be purchased, but if that isn't in
your budget (or you would like to do the project yourself),
you can start one from scratch. There are quite a few
techniques for creating espaliers, so what follows is a
general description.

First, to create your own espalier, select a plant with a
central leader and several horizontal branches. To prepare
the wall, you can attach a trellis, create a framework with
eye hooks and strong wire, or just use a series of nails.
Fasten the horizontal plant stems to the wall in whatever
formation you would like. This is the most creative part of
the process, so be imaginative! Once you have your plant
situated in the form you want, check on it periodically to
see it is growing correctly and do some selective pruning to
remove any stray branches.

What kind of plants are good for espaliering? There are many
different plant species to choose from that do well with
this form of pruning. If you are looking to create an
espaliered shrub, you can use plants such as camellia,
cotoneaster, pyracantha, hollies, and forsythia. If you are
looking to cover a taller wall or fence, such plants as
Southern magnolia, redbud, Nellie R. Stevens holly, fruit
trees, and star magnolia work quite well. For more choices,
do some quick research in landscaping literature or on the
internet. There are a multitude of plants that are
available.

Now is your mind filled with new ideas for that tight little
spot by your front door? It could be just perfect for an
espaliered camellia or magnolia. With a bit of extra
preparation and care, you could fit the largest tree into
the smallest courtyard without it being an overgrown mess.
Whether your taste stretches toward the formal symmetry of a
pyracantha to an informal wall of camellia blooms, the art
of espaliering can provide an abundance of charm.

Carrie P. Williams is a professional landscape designer with
Turf Tamer, Inc. She has written many informative
landscaping articles for Turf Tamer's Tip of the Week
program. Want to learn more landscaping tips and
tricks? Go to HYPERLINK
"http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm"http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.sh
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to sign up for the 'Tip of the Week' and learn more tips!


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