I was in the backyard admiring the stunning azaleas (yes, I do this daily with Piper, don't judge :) ) and really found myself avoiding eye contact with the HUGE glaring eyesore that is the back wall of the house. This area is begging for some lovin'. I know just what to do!
Espaliers!!! Aunt Anne is an expert in the design, building, and maintenance of them. See on her website a little bit about them, Simply Gardens.
Espalier is the horticultural technique of training trees through pruning in order to create 2D patterns by the branches of the tree. The technique was popular in the Middle Ages in Europe to produce fruit inside the walls of a typical castle courtyard without interfering with the open space, and to decorate solid walls by such trees planted near them. - WIKIPEDIA!
I googled it too and found a paper by Kim Powell at NC State school of Horticulture, and she listed some good plants to use for espaliers.... of which I liked rebud tree, quince, forsythia, jasmine, and viburnum!! I must talk to Aunt Anne about what she recommends!
It is going to take a lot of work over the next few years, but I don't have any other long-term projects and I think the payoff will be worth it!
What a great wall to design an espalier!! Depending on what the sun conditions are and how much root space the plant has to grow will help you decide on your plant material. We'll have to talk about this when you get home for the big weekend!!!! love,
ReplyDeleteAunt Anne