librarian2003 (librarian2003) wrote in weagardening, @ 2010-11-16 00:14:00 |
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Current mood: | cold |
Entry tags: | bonsai, topiary |
Week 7 continued
Here's the handout on Bonsai Maintenance
GARDENING FOR PLEASURE
BONSAI MAINTENANCE
(bonsai – single and plural the same, from Japanese bon – tray, and sai – planting)
Once you have trained or started to train a bonsai into a chosen style it is vital to keep the plant growing well. To do this you need to know where to place the tree, how to water it and how to feed it. You also need to know how to prune the branches and roots and how to re-pot it periodically. Routine branch pruning is necessary to maintain the shape of the tree. Finally, wiring the tree in place and making sure that the wire doesn’t bite into the flesh of the tree is important.
1 Where should I position my outdoor bonsai?
This is specific to the species of the bonsai. Try to keep it out of direct sunlight, where they receive good air circulation, relative humidity, and are in a place where they are easily accessible for maintenance (watering, feeding and pruning). You can usually tell if a plant likes or dislikes where it is currently positioned. If you detect signs of stress such as wilting, burnt foliage or discolouration, move the plant to a more suitable area. Consider the origins of a plant and how it would grow naturally. Plants such as rosemary, which originated in the Mediterranean, thrive in a position of semi shade to full sun, as they are able to withstand drought and appreciate sun.
2 Can I display my outdoor bonsai inside the house? How?
Yes, you can bring your bonsai inside - but not permanently - and they must be given careful attention. Generally, keep your bonsai inside for no more than 3 days a month at most. You cannot grow them inside (to do this, create indoor bonsai which use a completely different group of plants). It is best not to bring them in too often. Care must be taken to ensure that they are given the right amount of water (definitely not allowed to dry out) and sunlight as well as humidity, which can be achieved by misting with a general water sprayer. Make sure that the bonsai are not positioned in any draughts and definitely not next to a heater or radiator - even in winter.
If you need to keep your bonsai warm during the winter (i.e. if they are indoor tender bonsai) you must use a humidifier to keep the plants from drying out. Do some research beforehand on the species of your bonsai before you decide if you want to do this.
3 How often should I water my bonsai?
How frequently you water your bonsai depends on many things. A dry wind, excessive heat, or a combination of both, can quickly dry out the soil, so you must monitor moisture levels regularly. If you keep your trees outside where rain can water them, you don't need to worry much in the winter except in times of little rain. In the summer you should endeavour to water your plants several times a week, and at least daily in very hot periods, when you should move the trees into the shade. A drip sprinkler system may be useful. Or, use a watering can with a fine rose attached to water the soil and roots. Spraying to increase humidity is also good in dry periods.
4 What and when do I feed my bonsai?
Keep your bonsai in good shape and to maintain healthy growth by regular feeding at the right time of year with the correct fertilizer. Fertilizer must be continually replenished since some is washed out each time the plant is watered.
You can get many different types of fertilizers, in a variety of forms. Slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, will take care of feeding requirements for several weeks at a time and is probably the type of fertilizer most used by bonsai enthusiasts. Soluble and liquid feeds are also used for rapid effect over short-term periods. These are watered into the soil and are used up relatively quickly.
To understand exactly how your bonsai should be fertilized, you must be able to understand the basic make-up of fertilizers. Most fertilizers contain three basic elements: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K).
Nitrogen is an essential ingredient for leaf and stem growth. Too much nitrogen will make the tree produce long, stringy growth. Phosphorus encourages healthy root growth and helps the growth of new buds, also protecting against disease and unfavourable winter conditions. Potassium (potash) encourages the formation of flowers and fruit, and is vital in the fight against disease.
Feed from early spring to late summer. Use a balanced fertilizer with a low nitrogen content year round, and one with as little (or no) nitrogen as possible in autumn to aid the tree (so the tree can retain its energy) through the winter.
Most commercial fertilizers contain all three main nutrients plus some trace elements. One type of fertilizer usually only obtainable from bonsai nurseries has an NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) ratio of 0:10:10. This is an autumn feed (containing no nitrogen) which will harden off the current season's growth in readiness for the winter.
5 What are the best types of plants to use for bonsai?
Any substantial plant can be trained into a bonsai with a bit of hard work - although some plants are very difficult to make to adapt to the shallow pots and restricted growth. Trees/shrubs that are used more commonly for bonsai, and adapt quite well, are evergreens such as Pine, Cypress, Camellia, Azalea, Pomegranate, Holly, Serissa, and Cedar. Deciduous trees such as Cherry, Maple (Japanese and Trident), Zelkova and Beech are also prime candidates.
All of these plants are favoured for bonsai because they are good plants for both the novice and expert. They offer many special characteristics such as beautiful flowers, a strong and hardy nature, attractive bark, interesting foliage or seasonal fruits and cones.
6 When, how and why should I re-pot my bonsai?
Regular re-potting of your bonsai to replace important nutrients, 'stale soil' and allow for new root growth is vital to your bonsai's health and growth. Generally, the trees should be re-potted at a time when they are dormant - late autumn to early spring, so that they are subject to the least amount of stress possible. Young or small bonsai require re-potting every two or three years, and older and larger specimens less often.
You can tell that a bonsai needs re-potting if water takes a long time to drain through the soil or if the roots are crowding around the sides.
To re-pot, carefully lift the tree out of its current pot by tilting it to one side and trying to move it by the base of the trunk. You cannot pull too hard on the trunk - so if this does not work, try tapping the pot with the side of your hand to loosen the rootball or poke a stick through the drainage holes and 'push' the rootball out. Next, using a chopstick, knitting needle, metal hook or similar, remove any moss or accent plants and carefully try to brush and untangle the roots. Start at the edge and gradually work around. Try to 'comb' and 'tug' rather than to 'pull' at the roots - for risk of damaging or tearing the main roots.
Continue to shake and brush off the soil until about one third to half of the original soil has been removed from the edge and base of the rootball. Now spray the roots with water to ensure that they do not dry out and so that they will not have too much soil on them when it comes time to pruning the roots.
To prune the roots, use very sharp cutters. There are bonsai root pruning scissors commercially available, but you could use a normal pair of bonsai clippers or sharp secateurs. If you have washed away most loose soil the scissors will stay sharp, but if they have to cut through soil as well as the roots - they will become blunt very quickly and require sharpening. Start by cutting the thick, old brown roots that have come close to the edge of the pot and are restricting the growth of the young 'feeder roots'. Remove a third to a half of these - being careful that you do not remove too many feeder roots in the process. Next, prune the thinner roots which hang below the depth of the pot by trimming them all into a suitable shape that the pot will accommodate. This should be a shape that fits comfortably into the pot with a ½ to ¾ inch space around the edges.
The difficult part of the re-potting is now over - if you think that you've cut too many feeder roots off, the tree will be disadvantaged but new roots will grow from the cuts.
Clean the original pot thoroughly or select a new pot that is more suited to the tree and cover the drainage holes with simple wire mesh. The plant will now be unstable in the new pot, as it has nothing to anchor it - we have to make some anchors to prevent the tree falling over from winds or from being moved. Thread some wire (doesn't need to be very thick) through the drainage holes or specially designed holes for anchoring and leave for later use. Add a thin layer of gravel to aid drainage and then a layer of soil. Moving the tree around, decide a basic position for it (usually off-centre and slightly to the back of the pot) and make a small mound that it will sit on.
Now you can place your bonsai on the mound by gently nestling it in and spreading its roots out evenly throughout on top of the soil. Once you are happy with the height and position of your tree (it is going to stay like that for 1-2 years), take the wires that you threaded and twist them together (usually with the aid of pliers) over the main rootball of the tree until it is held firmly (but not too tight) and will not rock. Because these wires are quite unsightly, you can remove them in a few months time once the tree has settled and grown new roots.
Add more soil up to the base of the trunk - which should be just below the base of the pot. Tap the side of the pot with your hand to ensure that the soil becomes settled and that there are no gaps around the roots. Use your chopstick to incorporate the roots into the soil and to make sure that they are placed correctly. Once the soil has been applied, you can add supplementary features such as rocks, moss, accent plants or gravel to enhance the design. When applying moss - be careful that most of the original soil is cut off from the bottom before you plant it and that the moss (or any other plant for that matter) is not too big or vigorous for the pot or tree.
Thoroughly water the tree - remember the soil level may settle further and that more soil may have to be added. Place the tree in a position where it will avoid extremes in temperature (i.e. not direct sun) and where it will be able to recuperate. Don't fertilize at this time - as this can burn roots or cause stress to the plant. You can feed in around a month, when the roots have recovered.
Note that to balance out the extensive pruning you have just done on the roots, you should prune the branches of the bonsai as well so that it can recover quicker and not be disadvantaged further. Root growth usually does equal branch growth.
7 What sort of soil should I use for bonsai?
It is best to use a general potting mix for bonsai soil until you familiarise yourself with the other processes involved in bonsai. As long as the mix is open and well-draining you should not have a problem and it won’t harm the plant. You can get pre-made bonsai soil. Bonsai soil is much more free-draining than potting soil and doesn't contain as much fertilizer as normal potting soil. It is usually available at specialist bonsai nurseries, and some garden centres.
A basic bonsai soil mix to make - and one that would apply to almost all species is: one part loam, two parts sphagnum peat moss, two parts granite grit.
8 What part does pruning play in bonsai? When should I prune, and to what extent?
Pruning is necessary to obtain or maintain the right shape of a bonsai and encourage new growth. Some plants naturally respond well to pruning, regardless of how intense, whilst other plants can find it hard to recover, especially when pruned at the wrong time of the year. To prune correctly you must find out the type of plant your bonsai is and research when the best times are to prune old and new season growth – this is no different to when you would prune the plant if it were growing in the garden. Generally, new growth is pruned during the growing season to maintain the shape of the bonsai, whilst pruning of hard wood (old season growth) is done in mid-autumn.
One of the main forms of pruning for bonsai, especially evergreen coniferous bonsai such as junipers and cedars is 'finger pruning'. This involves pinching back new growth which does not come within the general shape of the bonsai or is at the top of the bonsai - helping to encourage bushy foliage and a more tree-like looking bonsai. To do this, take the growth between your thumb and forefinger whilst holding the branch with your other hand and remove with a twisting movement. This is better than trimming the growth with scissors, which gives an unnatural look and leaves the foliage an unsightly brown. For deciduous trees such as maples, the chinese elm and cotoneaster, scissor tip pruning is best. When trimming outward or 'overenthusiastic' growth, trim shoots back to just after the next series of leaves, but don't cut the foliage as such.
Leaf pruning (also known as defoliation) in bonsai is used for several deciduous and tropical plants such as ficus or maples to reduce leaf size, remove unsightly leaves and speed-up growth by causing two seasons' growth in one. For deciduous trees such as maples it also means that their autumn colour is brighter. This is done in mid-summer, by cutting 60-90% of the leaves off the tree, only leaving a few to ensure that the tree keeps its energy. Remove leaves with fine scissors, cutting them from directly behind the leaf. In the next few weeks make sure that you keep the plant in a hospitable position and climate and supply it adequate water. Remember however, that this form of pruning is only applicable to certain types of plants.
9 What techniques can I use to wire my bonsai? Is it really necessary?
Not all plants need wiring to achieve their desired shape or to achieve official 'bonsai' status. The Fukien Tea plant for example, can be trained quite easily without the use of wire. Contrary to what many novices may think, wiring of a bonsai is not done to keep the plant small, but rather is a temporary measure used to hold branches in a desired position in order to enhance the shape of a tree. Wire should not be left permanently on a tree and should be checked regularly.
When wiring, try to imitate the natural curves of trees in nature. Make sure that you only attempt to wire branches that are unlikely to break when pressure used to twist the wire around the branch is applied. There are two types of bonsai wire available - copper wire and aluminium wire. Although copper is easy to obtain, less expensive and naturally a better colour than uncoloured aluminium wire (silver) - it is much harder to apply to branches, especially for beginners, and if applied incorrectly - which is easy to do, could ruin your most prized bonsai. Undoubtedly, the better wire is aluminium wire, which can be bought coloured to look just like copper wire and is available at any bonsai nursery. It is much more malleable than copper wire and generally has the same effect. The size of wire used depends on the size of branch you want to train and in most part should be chosen yourself – it is also dependent on how significantly you want to change the shape of a branch and how stubborn the species of plant is. You should purchase wire in a variety of different lengths and test it out on pruned branches from around the garden. You can always remove the wire (very carefully if on a bonsai), flatten it out and use it again. For pencil-thick sized branches a gauge 3.5mm aluminium wire is recommended. The lowest recommended gauge is 2.0mm.
The safest method to use when wiring is by clenching the branch with both hands (not dissimilar to the look of a clamp) and applying the wire by slowly following it around the branch - making sure it does not damage the trunk. Wire the branch first, and then worry about bending the branch (which is made possible by the wire and using the clamp method) to achieve your desired shape. Be careful of leaves or if in autumn, leaf buds. It is always best to anchor the wire so it does actually re-train the branch. This can be done by digging it into the soil and training the wire up the trunk until it reaches the desired branch, or by anchoring it to another branch. Sometimes, when it is too hard to use large gauge wire in order to train a large branch or trunk, or you don't have the right gauge of wire, you can 'double up' the wiring and wire the branch twice.
Do not bend a branch in one direction then immediately change your mind and bend it in a different direction in the same place. Bending damages the vessels under the bark that carry water and nutrients. If you damage all the vessels in one area, the growth beyond that spot will be deprived of water and will die. If you wish to change your mind, remove the wire and wait at least 6 weeks for the vessels to heal before trying again.
It is best to not water a day before wiring, and to keep the tree in shade for two weeks after wiring. Check every few weeks for wire cutting into the bark of the bonsai - particularly during spring and summer, or risk the danger of irreparable scars. It can take many years for wire damage to grow out - depending on how serious it is. Deciduous trees are particularly susceptible to wire damage due to large growth spurts in the growing season.
Jo Hanslip
January 2002
Edited November 2010
Based on The Bonsai Site: www.bonsaisite.com
More information from: http://www.herons.co.uk/
I also promised I'd post extra handouts. Here's one on making a display bench for your Bonsai:
MAKING A DISPLAY BENCH FOR BONSAI
Article written by Kevin Bailey, of The Vale Of Clwyd Bonsai Society.
A good display bench is essential for the outdoor display of bonsai. Once your trees have developed to the stage where you are proud of them, keeping them on a purpose built bench has many advantages.
Among these are: -
Healthy growth.
Regular observation allows evaluation and prevents problems from escalating.
Ease of maintenance.
Improved ramification through equal amounts of UV radiation.
Siting
Before you begin to plan your bonsai bench, make certain that the site is the best one possible. Some of the crucial considerations are: -
* Where would you get the maximum benefit and viewing pleasure from a display of your trees? Which area of the garden is best to view from the house?
* The site must be suitable for healthy growth of your trees - would it receive sufficient light? Is there enough protection from prevailing winds? Would it be affected by the wind tunnel created between nearby buildings? Is it a low-lying frost trap?
* Then there is the question of safety - in terms of potential for damage by children (frequent footballs from next door etc) pets or pests.
* The spot chosen must be convenient for watering and routine maintenance. Somewhere close to an often-used path will provide a welcome opportunity for you to stop regularly as you pass. This helps you to observe progress closely, monitor plant health and spot any potential problems in good time.
* Adequate thought must also be given to the security of your treasured possessions. (see my article in last month’s Art Of Bonsai)
Materials
Once the site is determined, decide which materials you favour for the construction. There are a few different options. Strength, stability and a pleasing form should be your aim. Timber uprights should be a minimum of 4" X 4".
The price that you can obtain your materials for is likely to be a factor, so look around carefully for the best supplier.
Timber can be obtained from several sources. Reclaimed timber yards may be able to provide you with just the right timber for your job, at a fraction of the normal cost. Check that it is sound i.e. has no insect or fungal damage. For a rustic appearance, aged timbers usually look more attractive as they are well seasoned and therefore should not warp. The only disadvantage is that you must beware of nails when cutting. This is a small price to pay for being environmentally friendly with regard to our forests.
Railway sleepers can be used for a chunky, solid looking bench if available. They have become more expensive but are usually long lasting hardwood with a generous preservative layer of tar or oil. This could be a potential nuisance as it softens in sun and could mark pots or clothing. They also require a fair amount of strength to cut with a bow saw!
If you want a “smoother” finish you will probably have to buy new timber. For this, builders’ merchants are cheaper than DIY stores. The timber should be tanalised (pressure treated) if possible.
Concrete block may not sound attractive, but benches supported on decorative screen blocks or even flue liners can be very successful. The top is usually built with sturdy timbers. Obtaining blocks from a salvage yard or architectural antiques supplier may help to reduce the price, while also giving "instant age" to the finish.
Another option is brick or breeze block. The initial outlay will be higher but there is the benefit of longevity. If the foundation is secure these can be laid dry, i.e. with no mortar, but on a very windy site a mortared structure would be best. If there is no footing, such as a patio slab, available it would be best to dig out a footing trench and lay concrete. Stagger the courses just as a bricklayer would. The top can be of sturdy timber nailed to battens to hold them in position, paving slabs or specially cast concrete tops.
Planning
Once you have decided on materials, draw up a rough plan. This is probably best done as perspective sketch if you can manage it. Keep altering the dimensions until you are happy with the image. When a final idea has been determined, the rough sketch can be translated into an elevation and plan so that timber cutting lists can be made out.
Timber Treatment
Any timber that hasn't been tanalised should have a good wood preservative applied before construction commences. This can also stain the wood to any colour you require. Be especially thorough on cut ends. Creosote could be used but it tends to fade quickly and you must follow sensible precautions and allow at least one month for harmful chemicals to subside before using the bench for trees. To extend the life of your bench it should be treated with a plant friendly preservative every other year.
Metposts or short steel rod legs raise the timber, preventing rotting at the most vulnerable point where it would otherwise constantly be in contact with damp soil. If steel rods are used, they can also stop many crawling insect pests e.g. the dreaded Vine Weevil whose female crawls up to lay eggs in any well drained soil. All container plants are therefore at risk.
Some owners design and build in “pitfall” insect traps such as a water-filled can at the foot of each upright. This is filled with beer, water or insecticide. It will stop Vine Weevils and help prevent slugs from reaching their favoured victims such as Mulberry, Laburnum and Maples.
Another alternative is to spread a band of sticky grease around each bench leg. Neither will stop flying pests, like greenfly, but will help prevent crawlers and sliders.
Construction
A willing and able helper will make the job much more manageable and should also more than double your rate of progress.
It is a good idea to check the weather forecast before taking out all the tools and materials you are likely to need. Strong winds or rainy conditions will severely hamper progress. Start with the uprights for one end and keep checking for verticality with a spirit level. If legs are being concreted in, they can be temporarily secured by packing around the edges of the hole with bricks etc. Temporary 45°stays, nailed to pegs driven in well, will stabilise the structure until everything has been finished. Double check all measurements and continue erecting the uprights along the line of bench. Sighting along the edge and/or top also helps to ensure that the line remains straight.
Once they are all in place you can begin to fix the rails and slatted top. Again remember to keep checking that all components are level or vertical.
Once finished, tidy up any verticals that are too high and re-treat any cut ends. A second coat of preservative may be applied if desired.
A well-proportioned display bench will do far more than just set off your trees. It will give character to the display area, contribute to tree health and even assist in the development of quality specimens.
And here's one on plants to accompany bonsai:
GROUND COVER AND ACCOMPANIMENT PLANTS FOR BONSAI
Article written by Kevin Bailey, of The Vale Of Clwyd Bonsai Society.
When exhibiting Bonsai formally, they are kept uncluttered. A minimal underplanting of well-chosen and perfectly grown moss is traditional. Many judges prefer this to only cover a small portion of the pot’s surface. A well-chosen accent plant, in a small separate pot, is better for showing than dense undergrowth. Accent plants also allow the designer to build on the theme started by the tree.
If you are growing purely for your own pleasure, a little more freedom is allowable. Choosing an underplanting scheme can add greatly to the charm of a composition.
How do you maintain the theme of your bonsai with appropriate plants? A root over rock windswept tree, emulates the struggle for life at the tree line, high in the mountains. This or any other “high in the mountains” styled tree would therefore provide a natural home for some carefully chosen miniature alpine plants. There is a bewildering variety of these at many garden centres. Some are termed "choice" - often meaning more difficult to grow. Others grow too large to be in scale with bonsai. So get some advice and ask for the slower growers that remain small. Most alpines appreciate all the light they can get and resent being kept wet in winter. They usually thrive when they are provided with perfect drainage, so there should be no problem in your bonsai soil. Most mountain plants are adapted to growing in small cracks in the rock with hardly any goodness in what little soil there is. The feeding that suits your trees may prove rich for the alpines and they would respond by growing more luxuriantly than in their natural habitat. Taking care to feed the tree only at the roots in the pot, will help. Keep fertiliser pellets away from alpines. Leaves from trees should not be allowed to lie on the alpine plants after autumn leaf fall.
Many alpines are also suitable for planting in dishes with other styles of tree, so long as their light requirements are satisfied and they are not dripped on, whenever the tree receives water. As well as providing a good variety of foliage types, most alpines can be relied upon to flower every spring before the tree bursts into life.
Many of the plants used as underplantings can be used also as accent plants. Beware though that this does not always work the other way around. Some of the weeds (yes weeds!) that make excellent accents are not at all suitable alongside a tree. This is because they will romp around in the pot and rob the tree of nutrients. Eradication can then prove difficult with some of the more persistent ones. Even a total soil renewal can often leave seeds that begin the process of infestation once again.
A few Suitable Alpines:
Arenaria balearica is a tiny creeping plant that forms a bright green mossy cover with tiny white starry flowers in spring. It is suited to a moist, shady site.
Calluna vulgaris (heather) dwarfer forms, may be kept clipped for compactness
Frankenia thymifolia (sea heath) The wiry creeping stems of this small plant have grey downy leaves and very small rose pink flowers in summer.
Potentilla (dwarf potentilla) Several of the dwarf species are suitable and have flowers in shades of yellow.
Pratia angulata is a mat forming, perennial, alpine plant. Slender stems and small pale green leaves. Stemless, white flowers.
Raoulia australis is a minute, mat forming, blue-grey plant with unobtrusive, stemless yellowish flowers in July. Its leaves and flowers are so small it looks almost like a blue moss.
Saxifraga is a huge genus. Choose the smallest encrusted varieties, which form charming hummocks of tiny rosettes. They have spikes of small, generally white, flowers in spring. The Mossy and Kabschia groups of saxifrages also have suitable candidates. Saxifraga oppositifolia and its varieties have flowers in purple shades.
Apart from the Alpines, some other small forms of plants are equally suited to life in a bonsai pot. Success is, as always, dependant upon understanding the needs of the plant and matching it to the tree.
Dwarf grasses & Rushes
Short grasses can be used for accent plants or even beneath trees as long as they appear in scale. Some thinning and the occasional "haircut" with scissors may be beneficial.
Festuca glauca - Dwarf Sweet Rush is a good bluish grass that will suit larger trees.
Juncus effusus spiralis - Spiral Rush a dwarf rush with spiral stems like corkscrews. An acid soil mix kept permanently moist suits these, so only plant with trees that demand constant wet - Alder, Willow, Swamp Cypress etc.
Equisetum hiemale - Dwarf Horsetail (Scouring Rush or Equisetum) Not really a rush, but one of the primitive horsetail ferns. This again is one for damp plantings only. Roots tend to be invasive so be certain that you want this in your bonsai pot before planting, if happy it may prove difficult to eradicate!
Ferns
A large sized, woodland tree-shaped bonsai or any large forest planting would be an appropriate place for some of the smallest fern varieties. Try to get hold of ferns such as Athyrium filix-femina crispum, the dwarf lady fern. This beautiful lime green, diminutive fern spreads by dark coloured rhizomes eventually forming a congested mat.
Lichens
These slow growing, colourful patches of unusual plant are a symbiosis between fungi and algae. They are very choosy as to what they will grow upon and where. Some adhere to bark in damp shady areas others only on fully exposed and well-drained rocks. The rock type, air, and water quality all help determine whether or not they will survive. The easiest way to include some is to use a lichen-covered rock from near where you live, paying attention to the microclimate it enjoys and place it on the soil. Alternatively detach a small piece of lichen and wedge it into a tiny crevice. If you are lucky it will take hold and spread, but will grow very slowly. I have tried painting my newly made Japanese lantern with yoghurt and cow muck in an effort to encourage lichen growth but all this has achieved (so far) is instant ageing of the surface.
Mosses
Choose the drought resistant, short growing varieties. Suitable pieces from slate roofs, on paving slabs, walls and rocks can be dried and crumbled onto the soil surface. Keep shaded and dampened by mist spraying until the mosses are established.
Succulents
All of these are happiest in well-drained conditions. Sedums, such as stonecrop, tend to be a little on the invasive side but are easily curbed as the stems remain on the surface of the soil and root shallowly. Sempervivums - also known as houseleeks, are hardy, rosette forming succulents. Some grow too large but there are many smaller forms to be found. Sempervivum arachnoideum is my favourite as it remains small and becomes reddish with a fine covering of cobweb like hairs in well-drained conditions. Sempervivella alba - a Himalayan plant consisting of many small hairy rosettes with a loose mat forming habit and fleshy, white, daisy-like flowers.
Herbs
Dwarf varieties of Thyme form a carpet of tiny deep green leaves and are smothered with tiny purple flowers in spring.
Some details on accent plants
The care of all accent plants is comparable to that of mame trees. Watering correctly is the skill that must be mastered before healthy growth will be achieved. In small pots drying out is the greatest obstacle. I find that standing the pots in a tray of peat, sharp sand or vermiculite that is kept constantly damp (not soggy) is the best way to overcome this. Some overhead protection through the winter is advantageous, especially for the alpines that dislike winter wet. Many are used to being insulated under a layer of deep dry snow in nature.
I have only given details of a few of the suitable plants here. Dedicated accent plant enthusiasts are constantly seeking new and interesting subjects to display alongside their trees. By vigilant observation of all plants you can come across unusual and evocative accent plants. Trying anything that you think may be suitable often leads to surprisingly good results. A single Dandelion, in a miniscule pot, becomes elevated far above the commonly detested weed of our gardens.
Surprisingly, the choice of a pot for an accent plant can be just as much of a challenge as that for a prized bonsai specimen. Small pots as used for mame or shohin trees are becoming more readily available. Companies such as Walsall Ceramics Studios now have an excellent range. If you have the time, it pays to look long and hard to find the ones with the best glazes.
A word on availability. Many of the varieties above may be difficult to find in garden centres. Try specialist retailers and bonsai nurseries. If you cannot locate any plant, then the Royal Horticultural Society’s Plant Finder is an excellent source of information with listings of over seventy thousand plants and details of which nurseries stock them. (Incidentally this is an essential to have in the car when travelling. There are a great many specialist nurseries for trees, shrubs, bamboos etc tucked away in obscure areas, many of them with gems well worth seeking out.)
Remember to achieve harmonious groupings, be adventurous in your choices but always keep natural associations in mind. The palette is nature herself, the paintbrush your imagination, and the canvas your finished display.
Here are some bonsai images:
Bonsai
And here is the handout on Topiary:
GARDENING FOR PLEASURE
TOPIARY – Its history and uses
Topiary is a practice that can be used with trees, shrubs, climbers (particularly ivy) on a shaped frame, or the crafting of dried flowers into the form of shaped trees and shrubs. Many different wire shapes can be purchased and used with ivy and similar plants for smaller topiary shapes – indoor arrangements can even be produced in this way. This session, however, concentrates on the traditional garden tree and shrub based topiary.
History
Topiary is a form of training trees and shrubs to create attractive, artificial shapes. It is a garden art that has been popular since Roman times – the Latin word for landscape gardener is ‘topiarius’. It has been traditional to produce strongly architectural and geometric shapes in formal gardens, but has developed to include birds and animals, as well as whimsical pieces such as trains and giant teacups. The first written descriptions of topiary come from the Romans. Pliny the Elder ascribes its development to Gnaius Mattius, a friend of the Emperor Augustus. That dates its first appearance to somewhere between 38 BC and 14 AD. However, it is likely that the cutting and shaping of trees and shrubs had been absorbed from earlier Mediterranean and Asiatic cultures.
By the end of the 1st century AD, topiary was a familiar and natural embellishment of the gardens of the wealthy. Pliny the Younger (AD 62-110) describes the gardens of his villa in Tuscany as being “embellished by various figures, and grounded with a box hedge, from which you descend by an easy slope, adorned with the representation of divers animals in box, answering alternately to each other: this is surrounded by a walk enclosed with tonsile [capable of being clipped] evergreens shaped into a variety of forms. Behind it is the Gestatio [avenue] laid out in the form of a circus, ornamental in the middle with box, cut into numberless different figures, together with a plantation of shrubs prevented by the shears from running too high; the whole is fenced in by a wall, covered with box, rising in different ranges to the top.” He adds “…the box is cut into a thousand different forms: sometimes into letters expressing the name of the master: sometimes that of the artificer: whilst here and there little obelisks rise intermixed alternately with fruit trees…” This is a fascinating description of a garden adorned with the most fantastic forms and, interestingly, although the gardener would have been a slave, he was regarded highly enough to have his name immortalised in box hedge.
As the Roman Empire spread throughout the known world, the colonists brought with them many of the refining elements of their civilization. Palaces and villas sprang up in the occupied lands in imitation of those at home, and archaeology has revealed their formal gardens and the remains of box, still as important today for topiary as it was then.
During the Dark and Middle Ages, after the Romans left, topiary seems to have been confined mainly to monasteries, and plants were often trained and clipped into simple shapes on withy frames.
The first real topiary revival took place in early Renaissance Italy in the 14th century. The period looked back to classical times and texts for its inspiration. The gardens of Villa Lante, Bagnaia; Castello Balduino, Montalto di Pavia; and the Villa Garzoni, near Collodi in Tuscany, still exist today and all reflect the influence of the Renaissance in their box parterres, clipped hedges and topiary work. Leone Alberti’s design for a villa in Florence, built in 1459, expressed the passion for cutting and shaping training plants. It included topiary “spheres, porticoes, temples, vases, urns, apes, donkeys, oxen, a bear, giants, men and women, warriors, a witch, philosophers, popes and cardinals”.
In France, the emphasis was increasingly on box hedges. The gardens were a combination of hedges: low, in complex patterns known as parterres, and high for emphasising and enclosing vistas. Topiary was used strictly for architectural emphasis and structure in designs. This style culminated in Le Notre’s scheme at Versailles for Louis XIV. Massive clipped box parterres were created and long-hedged vistas stretched for miles. The garden was a representation of the king’s absolute authority over both people and landscape and reputedly cost over two billion francs.
In England, it was not until Tudor times under Henry VIII that interest was developed again. An earlier fascination for mazes and labyrinths kept the art of clipping alive. Alongside the traditional hedges and arbours there now developed the Tudor knot garden – a low, intricate, intertwined parterre of dwarf hedging. During the reign of Elizabeth I and until the reign of Anne in the 18th century, it became very popular. From simple shapes such as spheres and cones, to complex human figures, animals, porticoes, temples, vases, urns; almost any plant was subject to experiment but favourites were box, rosemary and juniper. Knot gardens and parterres featuring thrift, hyssop, lavender, germander and thyme, together with mazes, were fashionable in the gardens of large country houses, and many examples still exist today. The Duke of Buckingham is recorded in 1502 as having made special payments to his gardeners for “diligence in making knots and for clipping of knots.” The art of clipping became increasingly popular, and by the early 17th century complex designs were commonplace. William Lawson gave these instructions in 1618, “…your gardener can frame your lesser wood to the shape of men armed in the field, ready to give battle; of swift-running hounds to chase the deer or hunt the hare.”
In the Netherlands, the increasing wealth of the Dutch merchant class, and the introduction of new plants through their trading links round the world, encouraged a great passion for gardening. Land in Holland was always valuable, much of it having been reclaimed with difficulty from the sea, so gardens were by necessity of a smaller scale. They relied on formal ornaments for effect: gates, railings, simple parterres and especially topiary. The Dutch enthusiasm for shaped evergreens went far beyond their use as restrained, geometrical, architectural elements such as cones, spheres, cubes and columns. Their small gardens were packed with green sculpture, including people, animals, birds and also more abstract forms. When William of Orange came from Holland to take the British throne after the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688, he brought with him a fanaticism for clipped greens. When placed alongside the already thriving English garden tradition, the stage was set for a craze that was to be later known as ‘Topiary’s Golden Age’.
It was at this time that the world famous garden at Levens, in the Lake District, was created, containing intricate and bizarre topiary. Formal gardens and topiary in the Dutch style spread throughout England, and gardens were crammed with an extravagant assortment of “giants, animals, monsters, coats of arms and mottoes in Yew, Box and Holly,” noted Horace Walpole. Everywhere, it seemed, “Gods, animals and other objects were no longer carved out of stone: but the trees, shrubs and hedges were made to do double service as a body of verdure and as a sculpture gallery.”
In the 18th century, other evergreens, such as holly, yew, bay, laurel and phillyrea were used to a greater extent. However, by the second half of the same century, topiary was regarded as old fashioned and the art stagnated for nearly 100 years. The fashion had been taken to its extreme and the inevitable reaction occurred. In 1712, Joseph Addison wrote in the Spectator, “Our British gardeners…instead of humouring Nature, love to deviate from it as much as possible. Our trees rise in cones, globes and pyramids. We see the mark of the scissors on every plant and bush. I do not know whether I am singular in my opinion, but for my own part, I would rather look upon a tree in all its luxuriancy and diffusion of boughs and branches, than when it is thus cut and trimmed into a mathematical figure…”
Alexander Pope’s 1713 essay in The Guardian, entitled ‘Verdant Sculpture’ added another blow. “We seem to make it our study to recede from nature, not only in various tonsure of greens into the most regular and formal shapes but even in monstrous attempts beyond the reach of the art itself. We run into sculpture and are yet better pleased to have our trees in the awkward figures of men and animals than in the most regular of their own.”
The result of these and other attacks, and the wider debate at the time about the nature of beauty, was the beginning of a great purge of the ‘Dutch style’. Before long the reaction was every bit as extreme as the fashion which it set out to replace – topiary and formal gardens were ripped out to allow for a more pastoral landscape, where the emphasis was on lakes and the groupings of trees. By the end of the 18th century the penchant for the picturesque vista had become overpowering. In 1772 Sir William Chambers warned that, “unless the mania were not checked, in a few years longer there would not be found three trees in a line from Land’s End to the Tweed.”
The 19th century saw a very gradual return to the formal Italianate-style of garden design and along with it, the use of topiary. A more balanced view allowed for clipped hedges and shaped trees closer to the house, to reflect its architectural features. The Victorians became enthusiasts and new techniques and plants were imported, but never again were the formal/informal approaches to gardening to be so polarised.
The social changes resulting from the two world wars discouraged the development of topiary in the first half of the 20th century. However, with the increase in interest in formal, particularly Italian-style, gardens topiary is once again becoming more popular.
Uses
Using topiary for geometric shapes such as cones, obelisks and columns provides a strong structural element in a garden design. This type of topiary may be valuable both in formal gardens, perhaps to frame a vista or form an avenue, and in informal gardens, as a contrasting foil for less structured planting.
Hedges can be treated as topiary, clipping all or part of the hedge top into the shapes required. A plain hedge is the simplest form of topiary.
Topiary is also effective in containers, using a single plant as a centrepiece, a pair to flank a doorway, or several to line a path.
Plants for topiary
Plants to be used for topiary need dense, pliable growth, small leaves, the ability to recover quickly from clipping, and the ability to re-grow if cut back hard. Evergreens such as yew (Taxus baccata), box (Buxus) and Lonicera nitida are ideal. Bay (Laurus nobilis), holly (Ilex), privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) and other evergreens may be used, but are more difficult to train. Choose young plants which have not got too much woody growth. Older plants may not ‘break’ and fill gaps so easily as younger specimens.
Ivies are very adaptable and can easily be trained to grow up a frame or a moss-padded structure.
Creating a shape
Topiary designs can be formed with the aid of a guide or cut freehand. Shrub topiary can take three to ten years to accomplish the desired shape.
Freehand shapes
All shapes can be cut freehand – the charming wonkiness of many specimens is a result of this. Simpler shapes are cones, spheres, squares, pyramids and spirals. If you get it wrong, remember that you chose a shrub that regenerates quickly and you can try again next year.
To cut a spherical shape, first trim the top of the plant, then make four cuts from top to bottom, roughly quartering the sphere. This leaves four approximately even quarters to be trimmed, and should make it easier to keep clipping symmetrical.
Simple designs using forms
Using young plants, select the stem or stems that will form the core of the design. The simplest shape to produce is a cone and for this only guiding canes and some wire are needed. Make three canes into a tripod, with the join at the top reaching the height that you wish to clip to on this occasion. Make some wire into hoops of graduated size and tie these to the canes with the smallest at the top and the largest at the bottom. Place this guide over the plant and clip to shape. As the plant grows, adapt your guide by lengthening the canes and adding larger hoops below those already in the cone.
For a spiral, use three canes again, and wrap wire loosely around them in a spiral shape, keeping the loops reasonably evenly spaced. Place this over the plant and be brave! Cut deeply into the foliage around the line of the spiral then tidy up all round to give a pleasing shape.
For other shapes, attach a framework made from chicken wire or single wires attached to stakes. Tie in the stems to the wire framework and then pinch back the shoots to encourage them to branch and cover the form. Train new shoots into the framework to fill any gaps, until they meet around the perimeter. Growth will vary around the plant, depending on the aspect – shoots trained downwards always grow slowly.
Complex designs
For complex topiary designs, make a basic framework from sturdy materials such as heavy duty fencing wire. Chicken wire or thin-gauge wire can be intertwined to form a more precise shape. Garden canes are also useful as a temporary aid in shaping a framework. Tarred twine is good for tying in shoots, since it eventually decays.
A traditional shape to make in this way might be a square with a half-sphere on top.
For more complex designs, more than one shrub may be necessary – it may be best to use a shrub at each point where the form touches the ground. For example, if you wish to produce the shape of a pig, place a plant at each of the four legs. After planting, place the form over the plants, mulch and water-in. Then continually clip, prune and tie in to achieve the desired shape.
Standard topiary
This describes a plant which is grown to a designated height then encouraged to form a head. Select a plant with a strong leader and remove all lateral branches as they appear. A stake may be necessary. When the desired height is reached, take out the leading bud – this will encourage the formation of lateral shoots which can be trained into a head of the desired shape. Spherical is usually the easiest to manage.
Training stems
Young stems being trained onto a frame grow quickly and considerable work is involved in tying in new shoots throughout the growing season. Tie in the shoots while they are young and pliable and check previous ties to ensure they are sound and not too tight. Replace defective stakes, or other parts of the framework, as necessary.
Clipping
Topiary involves much more precise clipping than cutting a hedge. Take time to work out how to shape the pieces – this may mean cutting some of the branchlets individually. Even if you have a good eye for shaping plants, it often helps to use plumb lines, levels, and other available aids to check the accuracy of a cut. Always work from the top of the plant downwards (although clipping a spiral is probably better done the other way) and from the centre outwards, cutting both sides together to retain a balanced symmetry.
Rounded topiary pieces are easier to produce and maintain than angular, geometric shapes.
Geometric topiary that has precise, flat surfaces and angles or squared edges is difficult to cut and maintain without a form.
When to clip
Once a topiary feature is established, it will need frequent routine clipping during the growing season. The time between cuts will depend on the rate of growth and the intricacy of the design. An intricate, geometric design in box may need to be cut at 4-6 week intervals. Trim as soon as any new growth begins to appear uneven.
If a perfect finish is not required throughout the year, two cuts during the year are usually sufficient for a reasonable effect, depending on the plant used. For example, yew may need to be cut only once, box twice, and Lonicera nitida three times.
Do not clip bushes after early autumn as the young shoots produced after the first clip need to ripen sufficiently to withstand low winter temperatures.
Routine care
Weeding, watering and mulching are essentially the same as for freestanding shrubs. It is important to apply two or three feeds of a balanced fertiliser at 2oz per square yard during the growing season.
Winter care
In regions where regular snowfalls occur, netting topiary pieces will help to prevent the branches from breaking under the weight of snow. Knock snow off any flat surfaces as it may damage the framework.
Repairs and renovation
If part of a topiary piece has been damaged, cut it back cleanly with secateurs and manipulate nearby shoots by tying them in to fill the gap.
If topiary plants have been left unclipped for a couple of seasons, regular clipping should restore the form within the season. If topiary has been neglected for years and the shape has been lost, severe pruning to restore the outline should be carried out the first spring, followed by two or three seasons of more precise clipping.
Scorch and dieback
The foliage of some evergreens may be scorched in severe winters and can die. The damaged foliage will soon be covered by young growth in the spring, but cut it back where it is unsightly, taking care to follow the shape of the topiary piece. If shoots do not fill the gap, there may be a root problem that will need to be treated.
Jo Hanslip
December 2001
And here are some images:
Topiary
Phew!
Jo