Olive Poodle (yes, it's an olive tree!)
Cloud pruning is usually seen in Japanese style gardens, or bonsai. Olive trees take to it very well: they can seemingly be whacked into all sorts of shapes, and simply grow back without injury. Olive trees are very long lived plants; being able to handle the strange things humans do to them appears to be part of their secret to long life.
When the Eugenia psyllid arrived in Southern California, it was a great tragedy. The psyllid does severe damage to Syzigium paniculatum (Eugenia myrtifolia) foliage, or defoliates the plant to a degree that renders it horribly ugly. Before the psyllid, Syzigium, like the Olive, was another tree you could do all kinds of peculiar things with--here the homeowner has turned a pair into what appear to be floor lamps. Irresistibly wonderful.
Ligustrum and Buxus Finials
The finial shapes at least make a common hedge more interesting. Ligustrum leaves are too large to really be sheared, but the vigor and toughness of the plant makes it an rational choice for hedges.
The same homeowner repeated the theme in a low triple hedge of Syzygium, Buxus, and variegated Euonymous.
Cloud pruning is usually seen in Japanese style gardens, or bonsai. Olive trees take to it very well: they can seemingly be whacked into all sorts of shapes, and simply grow back without injury. Olive trees are very long lived plants; being able to handle the strange things humans do to them appears to be part of their secret to long life.
When the Eugenia psyllid arrived in Southern California, it was a great tragedy. The psyllid does severe damage to Syzigium paniculatum (Eugenia myrtifolia) foliage, or defoliates the plant to a degree that renders it horribly ugly. Before the psyllid, Syzigium, like the Olive, was another tree you could do all kinds of peculiar things with--here the homeowner has turned a pair into what appear to be floor lamps. Irresistibly wonderful.
Ligustrum and Buxus Finials
The finial shapes at least make a common hedge more interesting. Ligustrum leaves are too large to really be sheared, but the vigor and toughness of the plant makes it an rational choice for hedges.
The same homeowner repeated the theme in a low triple hedge of Syzygium, Buxus, and variegated Euonymous.
I like the label...what we do to trees. he he
ReplyDeleteI thought you might of sheared the pups to look like poodles.
Love that olive cloud tree, but that's a job I surely don't want on my chores list!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge sheared hedge fan, but that last photo: wow! I really like the different colors/levels.
I must say it's an artwork but I think it's a whole of a job to keep it all in shape. Great vieuws Hoover.
ReplyDelete