Of historical interest to gardening enthusiasts and historians this topiary gardening guide gives practical advice as well as a fascinating account of topiary through the ages.
Topiary, the art of trimming hedges, shrubs, and trees into ornamental shapes, is perhaps the most distinct and fascinating branch of landscape horticulture. Its best known example, the palace gardens of Versailles, stands as a splendid monument to perfection, but today many a finely clipped privet and sheared yew are to be found in the humbler gardens of rural England.
This book, first published in 1904, is a classic in the subject, written by two foremost experts of the day: Charles H. Curtis, a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society and formerly at Kew Gardens near London, and W. Gibson, head gardener of one of the finest topiary gardens in Britain at Levens Hall. Gibson here draws on a wealth of practical experience to provide sound advice to aspiring topiarists. His practical sections include The Formation of a Topiary Garden, Planting, and The Training of Young Trees. Curtis traces the long history of topiary from its early origins in ancient Greece to the grand gardens of his time.