Garden Gate – October 2019

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 11

2

START SNIPPING Use pruners to clip a 3- to

4-inch-wide groove between the ribbon “stripes”

about halfway to the trunk. Clip a little at a time, from

top to bottom. Stand back to review your progress.

1

WRAP IT UP Wind a piece of flagging tape or

ribbon candy cane style from the top of the conifer

down and around, dividing it into three or four sec-

tions, gradually increasing in width toward the base.

3

FIND YOUR GROOVE Remove the ribbon and use pruners to follow the spiral shape, removing any branches

and twiggy growth in the groove all the way to the trunk. Don’t be timid — if you make a mistake, the plant

will grow back. Follow the shape and clean up the top and undersides of the groove, widening it to 4 or 5 inches

wide and rounding off the edges. Regular touch-ups throughout the year will maintain the form.

FOLLOW UP

Once the groove is cut,

tidy up the rest of the

plant, clipping the branch

tips to round it out.

Botanical

Names

Boxwood

Buxus spp.

and hybrids

Dwarf Alberta

spruce

Picea glauca

albertiana ‘Conica’

Italian cypress

Cupressus

sempervirens

Privet

Ligustrum vulgare

If you want to

create a pair of

topiaries, wrap

both spirals first

to make sure

you will have a

matched set.

DON’T BE AFRAID!

Cut all branches and

twigs in the groove back

to the trunk.

GG14910_11_Topiary.indd 11GG14910_11_Topiary.indd 11 6/27/2019 12:02:53 PM6/27/2019 12:02:53 PM

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 11

2

START SNIPPING Use pruners to clip a 3- to

4-inch-wide groove between the ribbon “stripes”

about halfway to the trunk. Clip a little at a time, from

top to bottom. Stand back to review your progress.

1

WRAP IT UP Wind a piece of flagging tape or

ribbon candy cane style from the top of the conifer

down and around, dividing it into three or four sec-

tions, gradually increasing in width toward the base.

3

FIND YOUR GROOVE Remove the ribbon and use pruners to follow the spiral shape, removing any branches

and twiggy growth in the groove all the way to the trunk. Don’t be timid — if you make a mistake, the plant

will grow back. Follow the shape and clean up the top and undersides of the groove, widening it to 4 or 5 inches

wide and rounding off the edges. Regular touch-ups throughout the year will maintain the form.

FOLLOW UP

Once the groove is cut,

tidy up the rest of the

plant, clipping the branch

tips to round it out.

Botanical

Names

Boxwood

Buxus spp.

and hybrids

Dwarf Alberta

spruce

Picea glauca

albertiana ‘Conica’

Italian cypress

Cupressus

sempervirens

Privet

Ligustrum vulgare

If you want to

create a pair of

topiaries, wrap

both spirals first

to make sure

you will have a

matched set.

DON’T BE AFRAID!

Cut all branches and

twigs in the groove back

to the trunk.