Topiary

The Prunus Lusitanica or Portugal Laurel, has been clipped to an attractive pyramid form, so its perfect for the patio! It is a very beautiful evergreen shrub, eventually making a large shapely tree if allowed to grow naturally. The leaves are an attractive shade of green, reddish when young and on red stalks, while the white flowers in early summer smell sweetly of hawthorn. It is hardier and more versatile even than cherry laurel, and withstands clipping into formal shapes so its really great as Topiary. The white, scented flowers appear in June in long slender racemes are followed by small red fruits which turn black in winter. A very good plant for a low windbreak. It is also used as a medium to tall hedge and grows to about 18 ft by 15 ft. Click the image to read more!

Also known as Oriental arborvitae, this plant has been clipped to a half standard form and is perfect for display on the patio. Use Oriental arborvitae for formal hedges and as specimen shrubs. This is a neat shrub with tight, compact foliage held in dense, fanlike vertical sprays. Even mature specimens keep their dense foliage all the way to the ground, making oriental arborvitae a good choice for screens and windbreaks. They are used to anchor doors or foundation plantings (but plan for ultimate size!). The smaller cultivars are good in rock and succulent gardens. Oriental arborvitae is a good choice for chalky or alkaline soils that usually mean slow death for most cultivated plants. They do well on dry, rocky sites, and flourish even on crushed coral and sea shell "soils", although they are not very salt tolerant. Click the image to read more!