06-25-2007, 07:48 AM
mella
Please don't take this as criticism, but as a jumping off point for more exploration of what can be done with plants. According to WIKI, grafting is a technique for propagating plants where the tissues of one plant are encouraged to fuse with those of another. Another interesting point about grafting is that it is usually done with plants of the same family but sometimes grafts are purposely done with partially compatible plants as with grafted dwarf fruit trees. The incompatibility causes the fruit tree to dwarf like a bonsai in a small pot.
The term pleaching is used to describe the technique of weaving the branches of a single tree together to form structures or sculptures. Pleaching duplicates what happens in nature when two branches rub together in the wind until the cambium layers are exposed and they fuse together.
The term espalier is used to describe the technique training branches to grow in a single plane to form living hedges or grow along a wall. I have personally espaliered apple and can tell you it is easy to do. Espalier allows growing fruit trees in very small yards. Sometimes all three techniques are combined as in the sites you found.
Try Googling pleach and espalier for more sites - - Happy hunting.
Please don't take this as criticism, but as a jumping off point for more exploration of what can be done with plants. According to WIKI, grafting is a technique for propagating plants where the tissues of one plant are encouraged to fuse with those of another. Another interesting point about grafting is that it is usually done with plants of the same family but sometimes grafts are purposely done with partially compatible plants as with grafted dwarf fruit trees. The incompatibility causes the fruit tree to dwarf like a bonsai in a small pot.
The term pleaching is used to describe the technique of weaving the branches of a single tree together to form structures or sculptures. Pleaching duplicates what happens in nature when two branches rub together in the wind until the cambium layers are exposed and they fuse together.
The term espalier is used to describe the technique training branches to grow in a single plane to form living hedges or grow along a wall. I have personally espaliered apple and can tell you it is easy to do. Espalier allows growing fruit trees in very small yards. Sometimes all three techniques are combined as in the sites you found.
Try Googling pleach and espalier for more sites - - Happy hunting.
Larry