History of Topiary
Topiary is an interesting phenomenon. Cutting plants and shrubs into specific forms in order to enhance their attractiveness is a time-honoured tradition. Often considered a luxury of the wealthy, the art has crossed many nations and fallen in and out of fashion over the centuries, though always present in some form.
The Latin root, Topiarius, was quite general and referred to the general practice of ornamental gardening. The Topia was the garden itself, and Topiarus the name of the branch of slaves dedicated to building and maintaining it. It's likely that the craft existed prior to the Ancient Romans. The first written record of Topiary was between 38 BC and 14 AD, when Pliny the Elder claimed that Gnaius Mattius was responsible for the discovery, though paintings of the Persian and Egyptian empires often demonstrated symmetry of design and tidy, clipped hedges. Many specialists suggest that the Romans were introduced to the art of Topiary by Egyptian and Persian slaves.
Topiary experienced a sudden decline from the fourth century onwards, when the collapse of the Roman Empire ushered in the aptly named Dark Ages. Europe was in social chaos for the majority of the period, and luxuries such as ornamental gardening were out of reach. The technique was only maintained in the safe, prosperous monasteries, who often kept fine, stylised gardens. Outside of limited manuscripts referencing the cultivation of monastery gardens there are no records of Topiary being employed by even the wealthier landowners, outside of castles.
The 14th Century Renaissance was accompanied by a massive increase in stability, and the wealthy were again able to demonstrate the luxury they enjoyed through Topiary cultivation. Here the trend of elaborate, plant statues was introduced, with garden designs featuring the common spheres and cones, but also large animals, warriors, mythical figures and popes.
England's passions had traditionally been geared closer towards hedged mazes, and the increasingly popular Dwarf hedge, requiring close clipping. From 1600 onwards a love of absurd and complex topiary emerged, revealed through poetry and texts. When William of Orange took the throne in 1688 he brought the intense Dutch passion for topiary with him, which had developed among Dutch traders who had become increasingly wealthy. Use of complex topiary sculptures continued until they reached a saturation point in 1712, when public writers began spearheaded a philosophical appreciation for natural landscapes, leading to the destruction of most examples of topiary.
From the 19th century onwards English reactions to the craft became far less polarised. The overwhelming preference became to allow clipped hedges and trees closer to the house, forming a meeting point for the house's architectural rigidity and the natural curves of a garden. In a high-pressure society with less time available for long-term planting, topiary has seen a slight comeback. The ability to feature well in smaller gardens has no doubt played in to this, resulting in a growing support for small, potted topiary as part of the garden as a whole.
About the Author
http://www.ewburrownursery.co.uk/, a shrub supplier, have been selected by Terry Bramley to contribute towards his latest article. Terry partnered their knowledge with his vast experience to produce the following article.
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