Here’s a great idea for adding seasonal color and texture to a bare wall without taking up much space: Shape an evergreen to grow flat against it. The technique is called espalier (pronounced ess-PAL-yay), and even though the word is French, you don’t have to wear a beret to master it. All you have to do is this.
Step 1: Insert a grid of equally spaced nails over the area of wall you want the plant to cover. Use hot-dipped galvanized nails that won’t rust. If it’s a masonry wall, use masonry nails.
Step 2: Run thin galvanized-steel wire (or copper wire if you want to show off) between the nails, linking each nail
to the one beside it and the ones above and below it.
Step 3: As the shrub grows, use twist ties or small pieces of string to tie the branches to the wire grid, shaping the plant the way you want it to grow. Small, flexible branches can also be tucked behind the wires to hold them. Train your plant into a formal pattern (such as a candelabra or fan) or an informal pattern (such as the one shown above), which is easier.
Step 4: Prune a couple of times a year to maintain the shape. Keep in mind that winter and spring pruning stimulate growth, while
summer pruning usually restricts it. If you want a tidy plant with flowers and/or berries, prune in midsummer, trimming only
new, soft growth. Flowerbuds will have already set on older, firm growth.
Don’t grow an espalier right up against a wall with wood siding, as moisture will eventually cause rot. Grow it on a trellis
set several inches in front of the wall.
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