vendredi 6 avril 2018

Tips Excelling In Ivy Topiary

By Kathleen Stone


Topiary can be defined as a style of ornamental gardening. People who specialize in this field are referred to as topiarists. The work of topiarists is to produce or create sculptures out of a wide range of plants. This is attained by weaving, trimming, and training plants. The sculptures made vary a lot in size from gigantic trees to small herbs the size of a coffee mug. This is worth knowing about ivy topiary.

The word topiary originated from the Latin language. Its translation in English means an ornamental gardener. Topiary is an activity that people have been doing since ancient Roman and Greek Empires. It dates back to as far as 2000 years. Before spreading to Europe during Renaissance, it was practiced largely in Greece. Another era of spreading of this art was the Victorian era.

Topiary can be done on any type of plant if one has the right skills and tools. However shrubs and sub-shrubs are the most commonly used plants. Shrubs and sub-shrubs are preferred because of the manner in which they grow. They are made of small leaves and needles that form a dense and lightly packed cover of foliage. Some of the plants used include yew, myrtle, bay laurel, holly, box, privet rosemary, jasmine, ficus, cypress, and the English ivy.

Topiary is an art that requires a lot of skill and practice. However, there are also many factors that determine success in this industry. One of the main factors is the choice of plant to use. It is also important to know that the various shrubs and sub-shrubs named about grow well in certain climatic and soil conditions. As such, it is important to consider the weather and soil type too.

Secondly, the tools used should be right for this job. Various tools are usually used. Each tool has a specific task. Shears should be used to reduce the plant to the right size during the initial cuts. Shears should have blades with slight angles. This allows the users to use them for cutting using either blade.

A pair of secateurs must be used when a person is doing more detailed work. The secateurs to be used should be fitted with a spring on the handles for easy manipulation by one hand. Every tool has to be cleaned after use for maintenance purposes. Cutting tools must be disinfected to prevent spreading of diseases to other plants. Antibacterial kitchen cleaner can be used. Tools must be regularly oiled and sharpened as necessary.

To achieve better results, a cutting guide should be used at all times. A cutting guide tells one which areas need to be cut and which ones should remain uncut. Part of achieving good results also involves cutting at the right time. The twigs should not be left to overgrow and they should also not be cut while still too young.

Finally, one is advised to choose a plant with a suitable shape and configuration. This means that the shape of the plant chosen should be close in shape to the sculpture that one intends to attain. For example, a tree that is shaped like a triangle can easily be used to produce a pentagon shape.




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