“Topiary” or “ars topiaria”, i.e. garden or landscape art, is also the name given to the tradition of boxwood cutting that has been maintained for centuries. The evergreen tree is exceptionally capable of regeneration and is therefore perfect for being transformed into living sculptures.
When and how should you cut a boxwood into shape?
The period between April and September is ideal for boxwood topiary, with the first cut after the first shoot and a second cut by mid-August. Use stencils and special box scissors to create artistic shapes.
The right time
For the work of art to be successful, you have to wait for the right time. Effectively cutting boxwood into shape depends not only on the cutting method, but above all on the season and the weather. These rules apply to topiary:
- Pruning season is between April and September.
- The first topiary cut takes place shortly after the first shoots.
- Depending on the region, this is between the end of April and mid-May.
- A second pruning should be done by mid-August.
- Do not prune in rainy weather, this promotes fungal infections.
- If it is very sunny, the cut boxwoods should be shaded for a while.
- Otherwise there is a risk of burns.
Frequency
Basically the rule applies: the more often you cut a boxwood, the more compact, branched and dense it grows. For simple figures - such as geometric figures such as spheres, cuboids, pyramids or cones - as well as hedges, one or two topiary cuts per year are sufficient; more complicated ones should be cut into shape more often. A minimum time interval of four weeks must be observed. However, do not use the scissors later than September so as not to endanger the winter hardiness of the tree.
Cutting techniques
Always cut off just enough so that some of this year's light green leafy shoot remains. The reason for this is the fact that the older shoots of the boxwood become bald with age. If you cut deeper, you may end up cutting an unsightly hole in the sculpture that will only grow back very slowly. Also, don't cut too much off at once, but approach the desired figure slowly and in as small steps as possible.
Cutting aids
Freehand cutting is often complicated and, especially if you don't have much experience with cutting boxwood, you can quickly make unsightly cutting errors. You can avoid the problem with a stencil - either purchased from a specialist store or made yourself from wire, wire mesh or cardboard.
Tip
You should not use electric scissors or saws for artistic boxwood figures. Instead, it makes sense for the art gardener to purchase special box scissors (€14.00 on Amazon).
