Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

There’s a house I walk by with the dogs that has a hot tub in the yard with several espalier fruit trees around it to create a privacy fence. In the winter, the “fence” is a bit bare, but now that the leaves are coming out, it looks pretty impressive.

An espalier tree is one that is trained so the branches grow flat, going out in two opposing directions instead of every which way. These techniques are both interesting and practical, since an espalier tree can often be possible in a spot where you ruled one out initially because you thought there wasn’t enough space (against a wall or along a neighbor’s fence, perhaps).

“Espaliered plants are prized for their symmetry and versatility and for their ability to add ornamental beauty to both compact and sweeping spaces. They can be used either as privacy screens, to adorn bare walls, to define walkways and driveways, or to create the living architecture of an arbor or allée.” ~ The Art of Espalier

Many kinds of trees can be trained this way, including fruit trees, which are said to produce more abundant fruits and flowers since the roots have less area to nourish.