Italians love their topiary.
I have always met specimens of topiary with a mix of wonder and hilarity. Why exactly does one do this to perfectly acceptable trees?
So it is with personal shock that I announce that I have fallen into the 'Talian Topiary Trap.
For some time I've been having ugly thoughts about a box tree in my garden. It has 5 twisted trunks, is 6 feet tall and lopsided. To be totally honest, it's a lump. An ugly blob. A blight on my delicate cottage garden.
On my 5km morning walk yesterday morning I noticed that someone had made a nice topiary job on a multi trunked blob and made it into something quite elegant.
So yesterday afternoon I took to my tree with the saw, cutters and clippers. I will expose the trunks, remove the greenery off the lower half of the tree, then even up the canopy into a nice rectangle.
Unfortunately I can't finish the job this year because too much change may traumatise the tree...but at least it's on the way to becoming a beautiful and loved part of my garden.
Above: As it looks now
Above: I am working towards something like this
Above: I am NOT working towards this!
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Hi Cath, I just found your blog and subscribed as you are living in our new most Favourite part of Italy. It sounds as though you're almost a local having lived here for five years! Congratulations on all you've achieved. I look forward to dipping back into your Italian adventure. Ciao e grazie mille!
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny! Thanks for the feedback...it definitely is special here. I see from your blog that you travel down here often? Please let me know when you're next around and we can meet for coffee...
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