Varietà e consistenza. Siepe formale o mista?

by Anna Piussi

 

The Latin word for gardener is topiarius, he who prunes, and the pruned hedge has been a feature of italian gardens since Roman times. Topiarized evergreens play with light and shade in a sculptural manner, giving the garden permanence and gravitas. On the other hand, neglected hedges or formal features in a small garden can be monotonous, and contribute little to biodiversity. Mixed hedges contribute a wide range of flowers and berries, hosting wildlife and offering the richness of seasonal change. Choose species which come into their own at different times of the years, as a sequence, planting them at a wider spacing than that required by a formal hedge. Pruning should respect the individual character of the plants, not aiming for the architectural shape of a formal hedge, allowing each plant to show their main features which can be flowers, berries, or colourful foliage. Repeating plants or groups of plants gives the whole design consistency, restfulness, and a solid theme.