Espalier is the ancient gardening technique that involves training a tree or shrub to grow flat, usually against a wall or trellis. Espaliers are commonly used in small gardens, courtyards, and even on balconies and are a great way to provide fruit in limited spaces. During this post, we'll take a look at the history and benefits of espalier, how to take care of espalier, and end with an espalier polyculture.
At first glance, Espalier may appear to be some kind of plant torture but this is not the case. House plants slowly thirsting and starving to death in a dimly lit corner of a room, that's torture. Planting a garden in spring and then disappearing for the summer leaving the plants stranded in the hot sun, their cells dehydrating one by one, that's torture. You know when we continually adjust the position of our house plants when they lean over just when the plant has taken the time and effort to adjust its shoot system to capture all the light it needs? Along comes a symmetry-obs…