I have been privileged to have worked in some very fine gardens over the years. Some of them famous, like The Wakes in Selborne and others that are not publicly known, but nonetheless breathtaking in their design and maturity.
One particular feature that most of these gardens possessed were tightly clipped and manicured hedges.
Yew - Taxus, sometimes conifer - but not so much in the earlier gardens - Box - Buxus (one of my favourites) and even Holly - Ilex, were placed to segregate different areas of the garden, act as dark and defining backdrops to herbaceous borders or vegetable gardens, and also stand alone as patient and remarkable works of art in topiary formations.
Joe swift talks topiary today on the Times on-line site about topiary and goes in great detail on what to use and the different shapes that can be created and how to start forming your shape, from a loose shaped bush of any kind, using wire and bamboo canes.
In my mind there is nothing better than a crisply trimmed hedge or shape (make sure that your equipment is sharp) but don't become to impatient; a well formed topiary is also extremely attractive with a little light growth on.
A tight and well clipped hedge will explode in light lime green coloured entire ovate leaves and they are so soft and tender and should be enjoyed, in my view until they go hard and reach maturity.
If you have a hedge that you proud and you would like me to display it then pop it on an email.
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