September 2, 2016

Sculpting My Hornbeams in Traditional European Style

The big task of pruning the hornbeam hedges continues at the farm.

After the outdoor grounds crew trimmed the long hornbeam hedge that runs in front of my Summer House and along the road behind my Winter House, it was time to tackle the other large hornbeam in front of my main greenhouse.

From a distance, English hornbeam, Carpinus betulus, appears solid, but light streams in through the leaves providing a pleasing and dappled space. I like to maintain these hornbeams using a traditional European style of pruning, so it has a nice, sculpted appearance. This means they need regular pruning and close clipping. Enjoy these photos.