Italian garden design always involved the use of topiary for creating strong, evergreen garden. Italian garden designers have shaped evergreen plants for many years. They create symmetrical, obtuse and representational forms in order to attract attention to the entrances, emphasize geometrical forms, angles etc. In the Roman times designers shaped plants into manmade forms. The purpose of this design was to highlight and show the supposed control over the nature.
 Topiary design was widely used during 16th and 17th centuries in Europe and was especially popular in Italy, France and Holland. The most important factor in Italian garden style is accuracy, that’s why Italian designers always try to create clean lines and sharp styling. You can find beautiful examples of the Italian topiary design at Boboli, La Bagnaia or Villa Gamberaia gardens.
Different kinds of plants can be pruned into shapes which would otherwise not be present in the natural world. Since the Roman times the most popular plants for topiary were Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), Yew (Taxus baccata), Holm oak (Quercus ilex) and Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis). They are suitable for constant pruning and help you create smooth pruning and finish. You can form a healthy evergreen structure which can be formed into square hedges, spheres and even triangles.
A plant which you want to choose for topiary must have a dense growth habit, it should endure hard pruning and resist diseases. You should select a long-living plant because the structure created on such tree will last for many years. The plants which have been listed above are growing very slow but there are some plants which grow much faster such as certain privet species. But privet requires more pruning. Due to its fast growth the created structure can look “cheaper” and your garden can appear less elegant.
 Nowadays Italian garden designers still use topiary. This fundamental design is beneficial for linking areas in your garden and it also creates an elegant look and adds a touch of class. Topiary is a men’s invention and it can’t be made without man’s hand. But this design is not suitable for all garden areas. Topiary will look well in the areas closer to the house and living space where you spend most of your time. Very often the garden areas near your house complement the architecture of the house. That’s why they have more formal and elegant feel.
As the form of formal hedging, topiary can create the feel of a classic Italian garden. A contemporary Italian garden design should also involve the use of topiary in order to provide structure. Formal hedging and topiary are very important elements of any landscape. They serve as the basis of the garden design and are integral parts of the Italian style garden!
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