The Complete Book of Topiary [antikvár]

Introductionr I 1 opiary is one of tfie oldest, most carefully conceived means I of creating firm, decorative elements in the garden. The X ancient Egyptians and the Romans practiced the art with imagination and ingenuity. In Renaissance Europe the clipping and ordering of alleys and avenues was as important a part in the making of a garden as the cultivation of flowers. Today, once again, there is a strong revival of the art and it is no exaggeration to say that topiary, in its widest sense, is becoming as successful in the United States as it ever has been in Europe.When Barbara Gallup asked me to contribute an introduction to this book, I was immensely flattered that she should think a friend from the other side of the Atlantic could possibly add anything to her knowledge of the subject. I was very diffident to acceptI know a bit about the making and clipping of knots and easy shapes, but nothing about indoor portable topiary, spirals and complicated shapes. Then when the text of the book arrived and I started reading, it became irresistible. If you can grow plants you can make topiary shapes of all sizes. If you have no garden, then you can create small tabletop-size features, birds, monkeys, garlands, elegant single-stemmed standardshorticulture for the home. With a garden your horizons will widen, making larger, more permanent features that will grow with the years.I must congratulate Barbara Gallup and Deborah Reich on their joint achievement in gathering together so many historical facts gleaned from early manuscripts and the first printed books written by 16th- and 17th-century writers. The wealth of practical advice that Barbara and Deborah give is invaluable and is selected from their own personal experience.Here is the definitive book on this fascinating subject. It covers every aspectfrom the strictly practical to the artistic and imaginative, from portable leafy sculptures to the verdant architecture of archways, hedges on stilts, and carefully clipped