My fascination with espalier, or training plants to grow on walls harks back to childhood when we had a yellow flowered, heavily scented Carolina Jasmine vine growing on the fence. Later, when married with dogs, we were probably the only couple who had a vine covered dog run. Here, in these photos taken during a two-week summer tour of Italy with my sister, ivy growing on wires strung between posts to create a living fence could be seen outside more than one villa in Montecatini Terme, Italy.
You might see something similar here in the Texas Hill Country while driving on the country roads between San Antonio and Austin. The first photo shows the ivy beginning to grow along a barbed wire fence. The second shows vines growing abundantly and even forming spherical shapes similar to those in Italy, though these here in Texas are probably covering native bushes as well as the barbed wire fence.
(World of Interiors, Bruno Suet photographer, April 28, 2024 article by Bertrand Raison)
From the Middle Ages espalier has been used to train fruit trees to grow against walls. The practice enabled gardeners to make the best use of spaces inside walled courtyards. It is said fruit trees produce more when espaliered against walls where the warmth of the walls extends the nurturing power of the sunlight.
The circular espalier form of greengage above is in Versaille’s Potager du Roi, a space originally created by master gardener Jean-Baptiste La Quintinie in a relatively small walled area. Jean Baptiste La Quintinie began his career as a lawyer. His talent attracted the attention of the President of the Court of Auditors who hired him to tutor his son. As the story is told La Quintinie took the young man to Italy to study abroad. Not the only visitor to be inspired, the beauty of the gardens of Italy compelled La Quintinie to abandon his practice and his tutoring job and dedicate the rest of his life to the art of gardening. (espalier.com)
La Quintinie collected his experiences and discoveries in a book titled Instruction pour les jardins fruitiers et potagers. After several online searches I was able to locate the book translated into English! During the search another book came up, a novel by Frederic Richaud with a fictional character based on Jean-Baptiste La Quintinie, Gardener to the King. Both books have been ordered and will doubtless provide hours of reading pleasure when the Texas heat restricts outdoor gardening to the early morning hours. A future post will share the pleasures of reading works related to gardening.
Espalier, now used to describe both the method and the plant can also move away from the wall to become a wall as you see here in this diamond patterned dessert pear also growing in Versaille.
This view from New Gardens in Provence: 30 Contemporary Creations (Jones, L.) with a diamond patterned espalier in the foreground and rosemary dotting the land behind is especially appealing. The garden is named the Alchemist’s Garden.
Here is a photo of a free-standing diamond pattern espalier filling out.
Trees espaliered together to form a raised hedge. You can purchase trees trained against a wooden rack at specialty plant nurseries.
(americangardenhistory.blogspot.ca)
Fruit trees can be espaliered on metal or wooden structures to create a sheltered walkway during the growing season. Imagine reaching up and plucking a peach from this bower.
(laneforest.com)
There are many variations on espalier patterns available to gardeners.
(secretgardenofmine.blogspot.com)
A magnolia tree outgrowing its palmette oblique form.
(columbiametro.com)
Horizontal T forms are prevalent in espalier.
(www.theimpatientgardener.com)
The horizontal t form in multiples on a gray stone wall is a modern take on a garden practice from antiquity. Isn’t it fascinating to see what looks like Arizona Blue Cypress or another type of juniper espaliered!
(credit www.flikr.com)
Here is a combined effort of an informal fan espalier with cloud pruned growth!
Unable to locate a term for this multiple pear espalier form. We might call it dancing pears!
While out for a morning jog in the hills these native oak trees captured my attention. It seems they are growing toward one another in a free-form espalier pattern!
Master garden designer Arne Maynard’s uses branches from locally grown hickory trees as supports for espalier on the walls of his home in Wales.
We have an abundance of cedar in the Texas Hill country. The cedar wood is regionally known for its resilience to weather and insects. Cedar branches are sometimes strung together to make artful fences or used singly as fence posts.
Thinking it would be possible for me to use cedar in the manner of Arne Maynard, it was time to head out to the land where cedars had been cut and trim up the straightest branches to form an espalier support for star jasmine.
These photos are the beginning of what became a rather large support with a triple arched top. We had to use steel wire to attach it to the wall as the jasmine grew and covered the support. After a severely cold winter when the jasmine died to the ground we decided to try a completely wired support system.
We now have 3 walls of espaliered jasmine beginning to grow. When in bloom their scent fills the courtyard and the small walled garden above. The remainder of the year, their glossy leaves in shades of green create a visual reference to the cut stone walls of the house.
When you want to insert a touch of formality and structure in what might otherwise be a more naturalistic garden space, consider espalier! As stated by Grazia Gazzoni Frascara, “My garden is a wonderful friend every day!” (World of Interiors, McDonald J. ‘Red City Refuge’)
