Evergreen structure in the garden helps to hold a garden together especially in the winter – think of it as the backbone running through a garden. A few weeks ago I visited Architectural Plants in Horsham with a Sussex client with this in mind. Saw some great plants, but this cloud pruned evergreen below really took my eye.
Cloud pruning is a Japanese style of pruning and training plants into cloud like shapes. It is known as ‘Niwaki’ or ‘garden tree’ – to depict the essence of the tree. You can cloud prune yew, box or privet and other species, and also hedges. There is a great shot of one in the 1995 film ‘Sense and Sensibility’ with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.
For Architectural Plants see www.architecturalplants.com