The art of topiary is a gardening practice that consists of giving artistic shapes to plants by trimming them with pruning shears.
The art of topiary, learn all about the “Topiaria” the art in bushes
Its origin is found in Roman gardening.
Pliny the Elder’s Natural History and the epigram writer Martial attribute to Gaius Matius, a member of Julius Caesar’s circle, the introduction of the first topiary in Roman gardens.
Pliny the Younger describes in a letter the elaborate animal figures, inscriptions, cyphers and obelisks on plants cut out in his Tuscan villa.
Within the atrium of a Roman house or villa, a place that had previously been quite plain, the art of the topiarius produced a miniature landscape (moles) that could employ the art of stunted trees, also mentioned, disparagingly, by Pliny.
It continued during the Italian Renaissance, reaching its peak with André Le Nôtre, designer of the gardens of Versailles in 1662, who gave the plants conical and pyramidal forms.
In the style of the gardens of the Victorian period in 19th century England, the shapes used in topiary art were spheres, crescents, diamonds, hearts, arches and butterflies.
Techniques:
To give the desired shape to a plant usually takes a few years of interventions, which consist, among other techniques, of using springs and metal frames to guide the growth and give it shapes that otherwise could not be achieved.
We show you some images of bush pruning that are extremely impressive, this art is incredible and undoubtedly ranked as one of the most difficult.
1. “Puppy” sculpture in front of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain
This beautiful work can be found in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Made by the American sculptor and painter Jeff Koons.
2. Cupressus topiary, El Parterre, Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain
This sculpture made with Cepressus (a genus of trees commonly called cypress) can be found in the beautiful retiro park in Madrid, Spain.
3. Tao Dan Park, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Performed in the Tao Dan park in Vietnam, you can witness this beautiful work of Topiaria.
Undoubtedly it is spectacular and amazing the talent of all the people who practice this art.
