"Topiary" or "ars topiaria", i.e. garden or landscape art, is also the name given to the tradition of cutting boxwood, which has been cultivated for centuries. The evergreen wood is exceptionally capable of regeneration and therefore perfect for turning into living sculptures.
Boxwood is often cut as a ball
The right time
In order for the work of art to succeed, you have to wait for the right moment. Cutting boxwood effectively into shape not only depends on the cut, but above all on the season and the weather. The following rules apply to the shape cut:
- Cutting season is between April and September.
- The first topiary takes place shortly after the first sprouting.
- Depending on the region, this is between the end of April and mid-May.
- A second pruning should be done by mid-August.
- Do not prune in rainy weather, this promotes fungal infections.
- If it is very sunny, the cut box trees should be shaded for a while.
- Otherwise there is a risk of burns.
frequency
Basically, the rule applies: the more often you cut a boxwood, the more compact, branched and dense it grows. For simple shapes - such as geometric shapes such as spheres, cuboids, pyramids or cones - as well as hedges, one or two shape cuts per year are sufficient, more complicated ones should be cut into shape more often. A minimum time interval of four weeks must be observed. However, do not reach for the scissors later than September so as not to endanger the winter hardiness of the wood.
cutting techniques
Only ever cut off so much that there is always something left over from this year's light green leafy shoot. The reason for this is the fact that the older shoots of the boxwood become bare with age. With a deeper cut, it can happen that you cut an unsightly hole in the sculpture that only grows back very slowly. Also, do not cut off too much at once, but approach the desired figure slowly and in the smallest possible steps.
cutting aids
Freehand pruning is often complicated and those who do not have much experience with pruning boxwood can quickly make unsightly cutting errors. You can avoid the problem with a template - either bought from a specialist shop or made yourself from wire, chicken wire (14.99€) or cardboard.
tips
You should not use electric scissors or saws for artistic boxwood figures. Instead, it makes sense for the art gardener to purchase special boxwood shears.