Petunias, like these growing in the Los Gatos Civic Center, offer a bright splash of color wherever they are planted.

Proper pruning and care yield attractive topiaries

By Tony Tomeo

My old college roommate, Brent Green, just informed me he has installed two large "topiary" deer on his front lawn. I find this information rather amusing. Think of it this way: The best landscape designer in Southern California has a pair of large, year-round Chia pets in his garden!

Unfortunately, as with many intensive horticultural practices, real topiary is almost never seen. Traditional topiary, as it was perfected by the English, involved intricate shearing of dense shrubbery into less traditional and often whimsical shapes.

In formal gardens, topiary were often symmetrical geometric shapes such as cones or cubes. In informal ones, the choice of forms is only limited by complexity. More complicated topiary could take several years to complete and require strict maintenance. It is not as easy as Edward Scissorhands made it look; which is probably why it is so rare now.

Hollies, privets, boxwoods and a few other dense, slow-growing shrubs with small leaves are still used as formal geometric topiary. I have also seen rosemary sheared into cones or spheres on bare straight stems.

However, most modern "topiary" involves training climbing vines, usually English ivy, on wire frames. Moss is sometimes stuffed into the frames for substance. Although framed topiary requires less maintenance than traditional topiary, it still needs considerable attention.

Young framed topiary vines need to be tucked back into the mass as they extend away from the frame. As the vines mature and tucking is no longer necessary, periodic shearing must be done so inner foliage is not shaded out. Tucking also may be done to fill bald spots.

Ivy in topiary frames seems to be more susceptible to infestations of spider mites. Periodic rinsing keeps mites from getting established and removes dust from foliage.

In pots, framed topiary may require more water. The foliar surface area of larger or more vertical specimens is usually disproportionate to the volume of soil. With extra irrigation, regular application of fertilizer is needed since it quickly leaches through. Because dieback may be very damaging, plants must be kept healthy.

Elsewhere in the garden, it is important to maintain the minimal pruning that is performed this time of year. Some fast-growing annuals may benefit from tip pruning to promote denser growth. As with bearded iris earlier in summer, many perennials that have finished flowering should have spent blooms removed. Plants often spend considerable resources on seed production, if allowed.

Cane berries, such as raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries, are a few of the plants that are best pruned this time of year. Canes that grew last year and have produced fruit this year are finished and should be cut to the ground. Small weak stems from this year should also be removed. The canes from this summer should be tied to a supporting fence, trellis or cage. Tip pruning should not be performed now but in winter, when the canes are not actively growing.

Flower of the Week: Petunia

Not many annuals exhibit such variation in flower color and form as Petunia hybrida. The more popular varieties produce single funnel-shaped flowers, which may have simple, ruffled or fringed edges. Double-flowered petunias produce very ruffled, multipetaled flowers which resemble carnations. Both single- and double-flowering varieties are available as grandifloras, producing very large flowers up to four inches wide; or multifloras, producing profuse smaller flowers.

Colors range in reds from light pink to dark red, including rose, salmon and scarlet. Blues range from pale light blue to dark purple. A few shades of yellow are also available as well as pure white.

Flowers may be solid colors, veined or edged with another color. Petunias are considered fragrant, but mildly so. Some varieties are compact and better suited to bedding, while others are sprawling and good for containers. When purchasing petunias, it is helpful to know how the various choices behave for their intended uses.

Petunias should be planted in rich, well-drained soil with full sun. Spacing depends on the full size of the variety being used. When plants are established, they may be "pinched" to encourage fuller growth.

Pinching is the removal of the tip of a dominant terminal stem. If plants become too lean while there is still enough summer growing season left, they may be pruned back for a second phase of bloom.

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Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be reached at 408.358.2574.

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