Pleached Laurel Trees
What are Pleached Trees?
At Harrod Outdoors, we characterise pleached trees as “hedging on stilts.” These trees are trained as a form of horticultural artistry to offer privacy, form, and structure to gardens seeking seclusion. The technique of pleaching trees involves intricately weaving and tying branches into a carefully designed framework to form a thin rectangular canopy. This method provides both aesthetic appeal and functional benefits.
Why Choose Pleached Laurel Trees?
Pleached Laurel trees have gained popularity in garden design due to the increasing number of overlooked properties being built. Their structured form offers excellent privacy without taking up much ground space. Additionally, pleached trees add a formal and elegant appearance to gardens, enhancing their overall aesthetic. Positioned above fences, they provide that extra bit of privacy everyone seeks, effectively screening out unwanted views from neighbouring properties. These trees also help define spaces, guide sightlines, and create focal points within the landscape. Their evergreen nature ensures year-round greenery, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
Popular Varieties for Pleaching
Several Laurel varieties thrive in the UK climate and are ideal for pleaching. The Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), known for its dense, glossy foliage, creates a lush, green canopy that remains vibrant throughout the year. Native to regions of southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, it has been cultivated widely for its hardy nature and rapid growth. The Novita Laurel stands out for its robust growth and disease resistance, making it a durable choice for pleached forms. This variety, a cultivar of Cherry Laurel, shares many of its parent’s desirable traits but with improved resilience to pests and diseases.
Transitioning to the elegant Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica), this variety offers dark green leaves and a compact growth habit, providing a refined look for pleached trees. Native to the Iberian Peninsula and parts of North Africa, Portuguese Laurel has a rich history of use in formal gardens and estates. The Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis), renowned for its aromatic leaves and culinary uses, adds a unique touch to pleached tree designs. With origins tracing back to the Mediterranean, Bay Laurel has been cherished since ancient times for both its aesthetic and practical benefits. Each variety offers unique qualities, making them suitable for various landscaping needs.
Benefits of Pleached Laurel Trees
Pleached Laurel trees offer numerous benefits for gardens and landscapes. Their evergreen foliage provides year-round privacy and a lush appearance. The structured form of pleached trees makes them perfect for creating elegant garden designs, offering both beauty and functionality. Moreover, they are relatively low-maintenance, requiring regular trimming to maintain their shape and density. Their dense foliage also provides excellent wind protection and noise reduction, enhancing the comfort and tranquility of your outdoor space.
Using Pleached Laurel in Landscaping
These trees are incredibly versatile in landscaping. They can be used to line pathways, create garden rooms, or act as standalone screens. Pleached Laurel trees are ideal for urban gardens where space is limited but privacy is needed. Their structured form brings order and symmetry to garden designs, making them a valuable addition to any landscape. Notably, renowned UK gardens such as Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace use similar topiary forms to add elegance and structure.
Conclusion
Pleached Laurel trees from Harrod Outdoors provide a beautiful and practical solution for enhancing your garden or landscape. Whether you prefer the lush Cherry Laurel, the robust Novita Laurel, the elegant Portuguese Laurel, or the aromatic Bay Laurel, these trees offer beauty, structure, and year-round greenery. Explore our selection of pleached Laurel trees and transform your outdoor space with their timeless elegance and robust presence.
