Topiary Work 



( 397 ) 



Topiary Work 



from around a tree or plant, and replacing it with 

 fresh, rich compost. Many pot plants, such as 

 Lilies, Tomatoes, and Chrysanthemums, are started 

 in pots only two-thirds filled with soil, in order to 

 ;illow of a liberal top-dressing at the time when it 

 is most required. Plants such as Deutzias, Genistas, 

 Palms, Cacti, and succulents generally may be 

 grown in the same pots for several years, .assisted 

 by the addition of annual top-dressings of enriched 

 compost. With subjects in small pots, good loam, 

 in which a proportion of artificial manure is mixed, 

 is the top-dressing generally employed, but with large 

 specimens, or those whose growth is only of annual 

 duration, well-decayed animal manures are used. 



with which the more natural styles of gardening 

 came to the front, but even now this phase of 

 " gardening " exercises a considerable fascination 

 upon a large section of the public ; witness the 

 interest excited of late years by the exhibits of 

 trimmed trees which have appeared at the London 

 shows. Some gardens, notably at Elvaston Castle, 

 Derby, have still extensive examples of the topiary 

 art. Less pretentious are the trimmed Yews to be 

 found in many an old-fashioned garden, and 

 although these trees do not, as a rule, display the 

 fantastic shapes which the old-time topiarist 

 delighted in, they are still sufficiently bizarre. 

 The favourite subject was, and is, the Yew, which 



riwto: Casstll tl- Company, Ltd. 



TOKEXIA Fol'RNIEKI (see p. 398). 



In top-dressing an established plant the ball of soil 

 and roots may be held inverted in the left hand 

 while the drainage is rearranged where necessary, 

 then returned to its normal position, and as much 

 of the old soil as can be removed without damage 

 to the roots gently worked off around the top 

 of the ball with the thumb and fingers. The 

 plant is then restored to its pot, the rich new 

 compost added, and rammed clown to make it of a 

 similar consistency to the old ball. Many prac- 

 titioners cut off the lower roots of plants such as 

 forcing Lilacs, Guelder Roses, Deutzias, and 

 Spirseas with an axe, in order to be able to give 

 a more liberal top-dressing. 



TOPIARY WORK. 



-The practice of cutting and trimming various 

 trees and shrubs into definite shapes, some of 

 which were very fantastic, reached its zenith of 

 popularity in the sixteenth century, but it held 

 sway for many years after. It fell into disrepute 

 in the nineteenth century, owing to the persistence 



seems to take kindly to any training. The Holly 

 in a number of varieties, and the Box, are others. 

 A vast amount of trouble, and some skill, are 

 needed in inducing the trees to take on these 

 unnatural shapes. Regular clippings must be 

 given, and a close watch maintained upon the 

 growth of very strong branches. Timely pinching 

 is relied upon to check the over-luxuriance of any 

 branches that may threaten to endanger the 

 symmetry of the tree. Once the required form 

 has been obtained the treatment does not differ 

 from that meted out to a closely clipped Box or 

 Holly hedge. 



The practice of pruning various specimen lawn 

 trees more or less vigorously, until the heads assume 

 a spherical or pyramidal outline, is an approach to 

 the topiarist's ideas. Yet the practice finds favour 

 in many quarters to-day, although it only differs 

 in degree, and not in principle, from the best 

 example of the topiary art of the sixteenth 

 century. It should not be confused with the close 

 pruning given to street trees. 



