English Yew or Taxus baccata has long been used in the practice of topiary or clipping of 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. Dating back to Roman times and perhaps earlier, the word topiary is derived from the Greek topiarius or creator of topia or places, the art went out of fashion only to be revived in the 17th and 18th centuries for some of the dramatic designs to be found in the gardens of country houses and estates.
Requiring a steady hand and a sharp pair of shears, the English Yew Popon Topiary shapes also need a good eye for symmetry as they require trimming each year to sharpen the edges of the plant from the fronds of new growth. The individual rounded sections need to be kept evenly shaped and balanced along the central stem, with particular care required where several Pompon Shapes are planted
together to ensure that their height, proportions and overall appearance complement each other.
English Yew Pompon Topiary does have the advantage that as a slow growing plant at between 15-30cm per year, trimming is not so much of a problem as perhaps with other plants and it is one of the most elegant subjects for shaping as it can give such a smooth appearance to the finished Pompon Shape. The dense foliage of the Yew responds particularly well to clipping, allowing each individual rounded section to be maintained with a clear and defined outline. Trimming would normally be done in autumn, removing the softer new growth and maintaining the established shape of the plant.
The Pompon form is particularly useful where a combination of height and detail is required within the garden. Unlike a low-growing rounded topiary shape, the raised position of the Pompons draws the eye upwards and makes good use of vertical space. They can be used either side of an entrance or doorway, placed amongst planting to provide a strong focal point, or positioned along a pathway or formal border to create repetition and symmetry.
Where several Pompon Shapes are included in the planting, extra care needs to be taken to maintain a consistent appearance. Matching plants can create a very formal effect, whilst using different heights and numbers of Pompons can give a more relaxed and individual planting scheme. The strong vertical form also makes the English Yew Pompon particularly effective when used alongside lower rounded shapes, cubes or other geometric topiary forms, creating contrast within the overall garden design.
