If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to your landscape, pleached trees might be just what you need. Pleaching is an ancient technique of training trees into a flat, geometric shape, which makes them perfect for creating natural-looking walls, arches, and screens. Here’s what you need to know about pleached trees.

What are Pleached Trees?

Pleached trees are trees that have been trained and pruned to grow in a flat, horizontal plane, creating a screen or hedge-like effect. The branches of the trees are interwoven, creating a lattice effect. This technique can be used to create a range of geometric shapes, such as squares, rectangles, and arches.

What Trees Can Be Pleached?

Most trees can be pleached, but some are more suitable than others. Some popular choices include hornbeam, beech, lime, and apple trees. These trees are known for their ability to withstand pruning and shaping, which is essential for creating the desired shape.

How are Pleached Trees Created?

Creating pleached trees requires a lot of time, patience, and skill. The process begins with selecting a young tree and removing all its side branches except for the ones near the top. The tree is then trained to grow along a horizontal support, such as a wire or a bamboo frame. As the tree grows, the branches are tied down to the support to encourage them to grow in a flat plane. The process of tying down and pruning the branches is repeated annually until the desired shape is achieved.

Benefits of Pleached Trees

There are several benefits to using pleached trees in your landscape. Firstly, they create a natural-looking screen or wall, which can provide privacy and block out unwanted views. Secondly, they can be used to create a range of different shapes, which makes them versatile and perfect for a variety of different landscapes. Finally, they add an element of elegance and sophistication to any garden or outdoor space.

Maintenance of Pleached Trees

Maintaining pleached trees requires regular pruning to keep them in shape. It’s important to prune the trees at the right time of year, which varies depending on the tree species. It’s also important to keep the tree branches tied down to the support to maintain the flat, horizontal shape.

Conclusion

Pleached trees are a beautiful and elegant addition to any landscape. They require a lot of time and skill to create, but the end result is worth it. Whether you’re looking to create a natural-looking wall or arch, or simply add some elegance to your outdoor space, pleached trees are a great choice.

This article is provided by

https://www.provendernurseries.co.uk/plants/trees1/pleached-trees1