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Training trees using a technique called espalier creates room for growth where there was none before. Expand gardening horizons by sending a pear tree up the side of a wall or flattening a camellia to a fence.

above left: A ‘Kieffer' pear is the ideal tree to espalier against a brick chimney because of its tolerance of heat and cold. above middle: Train the limbs to the wall with eyebolts and wire. Use a trellising material (twine, covered twist ties, or panty hose) that won't cut into the bark. You can train the limbs on a wire even without a wall nearby. above right: Bricks radiate warmth, which protects the tree from killing freezes.

Two-dimensional Sculpture
Landscape designer Joseph Hillenmeyer planted this ‘Kieffer' pear against his neighbor's chimney to add a touch of formality to their shared driveway. "I wanted to fill in the blank wall, but I didn't want to crowd the space," says Joseph. He chose the ‘Kieffer' pear because of its hardiness in his location, Lexington, Kentucky, and because the white blooms would complement the red brick. "The pear has worked out great," he says.

Micro Advantages
Espaliering expands a plant's growing region. Training a tree flat against a wall creates a microclimate that helps frost-sensitive plants, such as a ‘Newtown Pippin' apple, to survive in the Upper South. A brick or stone wall collects heat during the day and then releases it at night, raising the temperature around the tree by a couple of degrees. The wall also protects the tree from winter winds that can burn or kill bare limbs. Avoid planting against a west-facing wall, which would expose the tree to intense summer heat.

Espaliering pears and apples leads to higher yields of fruit because limbs that are pruned to grow horizontally along a wall or wire bear more fruit buds than those grown vertically. Not a bad bonus!