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Hedges heaven
Posted by: James Alexander-Sinclair, 14 August 2007, 08.38AM
We have just clipped the yew hedge: actually, to be completely accurate, a very nice fellow called Simon clipped it as I was too busy being a poncey garden designer (a pity as I really enjoy hedge clipping but time has been a bit short recently).
This hedge was originally in a garden I built at Chelsea in 1999 and has been through a number of incarnations. At the moment I have clipped it (or rather, Simon has) in a strange swooping and rearing shape that I think goes rather well with the Stipa arundinacea that laps around its skirts.
As well as the yew hedge we also have a series of beech columns that are scattered about the lawn to serve three main purposes. Firstly to break up a dull expanse of lawn, secondly to create a series of frames through which to see various parts of the garden and thirdly (and perhaps most importantly) because they make very good goalposts and things behind which to dodge.
I like my garden to be rather chaotic so a well clipped hedge or bit of topiary lends a bit of structure and discipline that is generally sadly lacking round here. I like to see my hedges as a sort of Mr Chips - benign and kindly but sternly intolerant of any slacking. The best topiary anywhere is, I think, at Levens Hall in Cumbria. They have an extraordinary topiary garden with massive yews clipped into extraordinary shapes - top hats, arches, crowns, eggs, birds, Bobby Charlton's combover etc, etc. I filmed there once (for Small Town Gardens) and the head gardener gave us two top tips: always spray the bush you are clipping with water as that stops the sap sticking to the clipper blades (which blunts them) and secondly to keep taking a step back to make sure that you are cutting the right lines. There is also a project on this very website about hedge clipping.
Some other favourite hedges of mine are visible here (part of me just does not really believe that I have just written that - whatever happened to my days of rock 'n' roll hard living?). If you know any other really good hedges then tell me and I will add them to the list. (While you're there you could also drop in on my other Blog.)
Comments
Hortus
06 October 2007, 01.54PM
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