Exquisite Espaliers—April 2009
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In Charleston this front door is framed not only with windows with shutters, but also with espalier. The plant is only partially grown in on the Left side window, while the right side is fully grown and bearing fruit. Eunice is happy to be on the garden tour.
Any plant that has bark can usually be trained into an espalier. Steve has shaped this pair of Gingko espaliers at the entrance to the shade house of Kelley and Kelley Nursery. Gingko’s make great espaliers, do not need the detailed pruning of a fruit tree, and have little risk of disease or insect damage.
Espaliers are easily grown in all climates. This traditional espalier pattern creates interest year round on a low wall in Arizona. The red berries of Pyracantha add color to an otherwise muted desert landscaping.
A financial planner wanted to add some interest to a wall looked at from the deck. A Belgian fence pattern was the espalier solution, but fruit were not desired. The Amur chokecherry was chosen for its orangey pealing bark. Marty stands in front of the one year growth of the open lattice pattern.
A pear espalier in a fan shape grows at the back of this perennial bed. Wendy points to the developing fruit, while she is pregnant with her first son. In Minnesota pears are small, eaten in two, maybe three bites.
Here is a “living fence”. The earlier picture in this frame shows the Tilia or linden trees being shaped into the traditional espalier pattern with the first tier started at four feet or so. See the next picture for the fence two years later.
This picture shows the espaliers a couple of years later, fully grown and ready to be moved to a permanent site. This could easily be started, trained and enjoyed in any garden. Talk about a way to block an unfortunate view or vastly increase privacy!
These apple espaliers at the Hagley Museum are fully grown at about twelve inches high. This low fence is called a “stepover” espalier. (Brits also call it a “tripover”.)They are traditionally used in the front of a border and do produce fruit. The training and pruning is no more difficult than any other apple espalier.