Portuguese Laurel or Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’ has long been used as a hedging and screening plant, but its dense foliage and ability to respond well to clipping also make it particularly suitable for the practice of topiary or trimming shrubs to a specific architectural shape. The close-knit foliage when trimmed by the expert hand can give the finishing element of luxury to a straightforward hedge or garden design, whilst individual shaped specimens can provide strong focal points amongst softer planting.
Requiring a steady hand and a sharp pair of shears, Portuguese Laurel Topiary also needs a good eye for symmetry where precise architectural forms are required. Depending upon the style of garden, Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’ can be shaped into balls, cones, pyramids, spirals, columns and other more individual forms. The choice of shape can have a considerable effect upon the overall appearance of a planting scheme, with rounded forms providing softness and balance whilst more upright and geometric shapes can introduce height and stronger architectural definition.
One of the advantages of Portuguese Laurel as a topiary subject is its dense evergreen foliage, which allows the plant to maintain a strong presence throughout the year. The rich green leaves provide an excellent background to other planting and the evergreen nature means that the shape remains visible through the winter months when many deciduous plants have lost their foliage. New growth can be trimmed back to the established outline, gradually maintaining and refining the desired shape as the plant develops.
Topiary has a long history within garden design, with the practice of clipping and training plants into ornamental shapes dating back to Roman times and perhaps earlier. The word topiary is derived from the Greek topiarius, referring to a landscape gardener or creator of ornamental garden spaces, and although the art went out of fashion for a period it was revived during the 17th and 18th centuries when some of the most dramatic examples were created in the gardens of country houses and estates. Today the use of evergreen topiary remains an effective way of introducing a formal element to both traditional and contemporary gardens.
Portuguese Laurel is also valued for its attractive young stems and foliage, with the fresh growth providing an additional seasonal feature before becoming the mature dark green associated with established plants. Small white flowers can appear in upright clusters during the spring, followed by small dark fruits later in the season, although it is primarily the evergreen foliage and versatility for clipping that makes Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’ such a useful topiary plant.
Grown in containers or planted directly into the garden Portuguese Laurel requires reasonable soil with good drainage and will benefit from adequate moisture while establishing. Once established it is a robust and adaptable evergreen and can be used in a wide variety of garden situations. Container grown specimens are particularly useful where topiary is being used around patios, terraces, entrances and other hard landscaping, whilst planted specimens can provide structure within borders, formal gardens and larger landscape schemes.
Regular trimming will depend upon the shape being created and the degree of formality required. A light trim can be used to maintain a softer natural outline, whilst more frequent attention will be required where sharp architectural edges and precise geometric shapes are desired. Where several specimens are planted together, extra care should be taken to maintain consistency in height, width and shape, although combining different forms and sizes can also create an attractive and more contemporary planting scheme.
Container grown Portuguese Laurel Topiary is supplied throughout the year giving the option of planting when required and of course the plants can initially be placed in their pots in situ to make sure the garden design works. If not then it is easy to move them around before planting, making container grown topiary particularly useful when establishing a new formal garden or introducing structure to an existing planting scheme.
Whether used as a traditional formal feature or incorporated into a more modern garden design, Portuguese Laurel Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’ offers an excellent combination of evergreen foliage, dense growth and versatility for shaping, making it a particularly elegant choice for topiary where year round structure and definition are required.
