Crisp shapes and formal hedging, kept sharp
Topiary gives a garden structure and a bit of character, whether it's a pair of box balls either side of a door or formal shapes set into a border. It needs a patient eye and a regular hand to stay crisp, and that's exactly the sort of careful work we enjoy.
Box balls, cones, pyramids, spirals and the more formal clipped shapes all lose their definition fast if they're left too long. Most ornamental topiary wants three or four trims through the growing season to keep those crisp lines, and we build that into a regular schedule so they always look intentional rather than shaggy.
We work by eye and by hand on the detailed shapes, taking our time. It's not a job to rush with a hedge trimmer.
Box has always been the classic topiary plant, but it's having a hard time of it in this country right now. Box blight and, more recently, the box tree caterpillar have hit gardens hard, and the caterpillar can strip a box plant bare in a season if it's not caught. We keep an eye out for it on box we look after and can advise on dealing with it.
If you're starting fresh, or your box is struggling, it's worth knowing there are alternatives that give a similar look without the same trouble. Yew is excellent for larger shapes and formal hedging and clips beautifully. We'd rather give you the honest picture than clip a box plant that's quietly dying.
Box is the classic for balls and smaller shapes, though it's under real pressure from blight and box caterpillar at the moment. Yew is superb for larger shapes and formal hedging and clips beautifully. We'll recommend the best choice for what you want and where it's going.
It could be box blight (brown bare patches and dieback) or box tree caterpillar, which spins webbing and eats the leaves, sometimes stripping a plant in a season. Both are widespread now. We can take a look, advise on treatment, and talk through alternatives like yew if it's not worth saving.
Most ornamental topiary wants three or four trims through the growing season to keep the shapes crisp. Left longer than that and the definition goes. We build the trims into a regular schedule so they always look their best.
Often, yes. If you've a healthy plant of the right type, we can shape it over a few visits into something more structured. Some plants take to it better than others, and we'll tell you honestly what's realistic with what you've got.
We provide topiary services across a 15-mile radius from our base in Horley.
