Forms of Topiary Design

There are two major categories of topiary style and form. Each has its own distinct look and is each has its own following, primarily determined by geographical and cultural boundaries. These two main categories are:

• Far Eastern topiary
• Renaissance topiary

Far Eastern topiary is an art form that has been taking place in China and Japan for a number of years. The goal of Far Eastern topiary is to express the natural form of the plant life. In addition, the specimen most commonly selected for this form of topiary are tagged pines, which helps to give the shape more character.

Perhaps the most well-known forms of Far Eastern topiary is Japanese bonsai and Chinese penjing. Both involve embellishing the natural look of the plants. Another form of Far Eastern topiary is Japanese cloud-pruning. This form is more akin to the type of topiary known throughout European countries.

Renaissance topiary has long been associated with terraces found in the gardens of the elite throughout Europe. Traditionally, this type of topiary is formed into pyramids, cubes, balls, cones, obelisks, and tapering spirals. Other shapes, such as those shaped like people, manmade objects, or animals are also found in renaissance topiary.

In its original form, the shapes created within the renaissance topiary form were not very complicated. It generally involved using low hedges, which were broken up with the use of potted trees that were shaped into simple balls. The actually sculptures were created with lead and stone structures. Topiary became a bit more complex in the mid-1600s, however, when landscapers in Holland took it to the next level. From here, it spread to England and caught on rather quickly throughout the rest of Europe.