Have you ever tried to trim a spiral topiary? If you are following existing lines, it usually isn’t too tricky, but if you are aiming to turn a cone into a spiral, it can quickly go off the rails. Topiary trimming is complex, and an overzealous Edward Scissorhands-inspired gardener can easily trim too much – causing a plant to take years to recover. If you are wondering how to trim a spiral tree,I have a spiral topiary tree trimming hack for you. The ‘tape trick’ will help you get a perfect spiral every time.
How to execute the Spiral topiary tree trimming tape hack
Here is how it’s done:
STEP 1 – Pick the right shrub or tree to sculpt
Select a shrub or plant that is tall and full and has a long, straight central stem. Evergreens such as boxwood or privet work well, as do various junipers, yew, hollies, and arborvitae. Trim the shrub to make a clean and neat cone. The cone shape is the starting point and base of the eventual spiral (you will be carving a spiral from the cone).
STEP 2 – Make a simple Tape Spiral on your tree
Once you have a cone, start at the base and wrap masking tape around the plant all the way up to the tip to create a spiral that you are happy with. Don’t do too many twists – two spirals are more than enough, even for a taller tree. If you are trimming a set of plants, use the tape to help you match the spirals before you cut.
STEP 3 – Cut the shape, following the tape lines
Following the line of the tape, trim back the foliage a few inches above and a few inches below the line. Taper the trim so that the longest branches remain under the tape.
STEP 4 – Keep your perspective
As you prune, step back frequently to take a look at your progress and make adjustments.
STEP 5 – Patience, Grasshopper
Be patient—this will take time. Let the plant recover for at least a few months after pruning. More trimmings and giving the plant time to grow into the gaps will eventually give you a perfect twist. Don’t feel like you need to do it all at once – the plant will appreciate a staged approach and will recover better from a few iterative prunings better than once big dramatic pruning.
What types of trees can you prune into a Spiral Topiary?
With patience, most any shrub can be pruned into amazing shapes. (Think of bonsai!) But certain trees and bushes are easier to prune into the spiral shape.
Evergreens – If you want your spiral swirl trees to be a year round feature in your garden (and why not? – they look great with a winter frost of dusting of snow) – choose a plant that is evergreen where you live. Boxwood, juniper, cypress, yew, arborvitae, spruce, holly and even some evergreen shrubs like lavender and rosemary are all good candidates for twist trees.
Choose a shrub that has a strong central stem. This will help to ensure that you have a good upright shape for your final tree. A strong central stem means that you don’t have multiple vertical branches coming from the base of the plant. You just have one, and it is straight, strong, and upright.
As an example, I’ve had great success with creating an elegant spiral juniper topiary with a blue point juniper. Juniper plants are relatively inexpensive (compared to other evergreens like boxwood), they grow fast, and their natural cone shape and central stem are easy to work with.
If you want to create your spiral for container planting, you will want to consider dwarf shrub varieties.
A Vine alternative to using Trees and Shrubs for Topiary
If you are feeling limited in your choices for shrubs and trees, remember you can also get the same (or similar) look by growing a vine up a spiral topiary form. This is a great option for a container-planted spiral topiary. Many topiary forms are made to fit within a planter and are too small in scale for in-ground planting.
By using a vine, you can choose options with flowers and different leaf textures. This will, however, require you to pay more attention as the plant grows. You will need to regularly tie in the new growth to train the vine to the twist shape.
How to use Swirl bushes and spiral topiary trees in your Garden
A spiral-cut tree or shrub is going to give your garden’s design style a sense of formality. In a design that is looser and more naturalistic, this can be an exciting contrast to softer and more wild plants. Topiary tree spirals are typically used in pairs or multiples. Not that you can’t use just one, but their formality seems to ask for a pair. With a pair, you can flank a door, a gate, or an entry into another area. Also, with a pair, you can use them to frame something (a fountain, an artistic focal point, a distant view).
If you have just one spiral tree – make sure that you have placed it in a position where it can be a singular focal point. Don’t make it compete with other focal points or put it in a place where you don’t want to naturally draw your eye. (it will draw attention… so make sure that is where you want the attention!)
How to trim a spiral topiary tree FAQ:
When to prune spiral evergreens?
Additionally, you can cut trees in the mid summer since they tend to also have a dormant period when it is hot outside.
Avoid pruning in the fall – this tends to leave evergreens more vulnerable to winter damage.
How to maintain spiral topiary?
Can I grow Spiral trees in containers?
What plants can be trimmed into topiary?
What tools do you use for trimming spiral bushes?
Image: homestudio / 123RF Stock Photo and by Juan Rojas on Unsplash
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