Modern Gardens - October
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For<br />
under<br />
£70<br />
Plant a<br />
TOPIARY<br />
CORNER<br />
Every month we give you easy<br />
ideas for creating a special<br />
corner in your garden<br />
Plant list<br />
One sure-fire way to keep interest<br />
in your garden through winter<br />
is to add some evergreen<br />
topiary. Balls of box or yew<br />
create sculptural elements, transforming a<br />
corner into a year-round focal point. Choose<br />
plants of different heights to create a tiered<br />
arrangement, so the balls of foliage float like<br />
clouds. Large topiary plants are expensive,<br />
so be budget savvy by buying smaller<br />
plants and growing them to the right size,<br />
clipping them into a lollipop shape as you<br />
go. From a small plug plant, achieving a large<br />
piece of topiary will take a few years, so for<br />
instant impact you can invest in larger plants<br />
from a local garden centre. The eventual<br />
sharply defined outlines can be softened<br />
with swathes of flowing grass around the<br />
base. These plants will do well in a shady<br />
corner with drier soil, perfect for a spot<br />
overshadowed by taller trees.<br />
3 X BOX £8.99 EACH<br />
This classic topiary plant can be clipped two<br />
or three times in summer to keep a neat<br />
outline. They are ideal for ball or pyramid<br />
shapes. Height and spread 30cm<br />
(trimmed) best4hedging.co.uk<br />
5 X YEW £24.99<br />
These conifers grow into huge trees if left alone,<br />
but annual clipping keeps them compact. They<br />
can be trained into almost any shape including<br />
tall lollipops as above. Height 1m and spread<br />
35cm (trimmed) jparkers.co.uk<br />
3 X JAPANESE FOREST GRASS<br />
‘AUREOLA’ £5.99 EACH<br />
This lime-green grass gradually dies back in<br />
winter but its colours get brighter as it does. It<br />
loves shade. Height 35cm Spread 45cm<br />
ballyrobertgardens.com<br />
74 MODERN GARDENS OCTOBER 2017