Plants for Topiary and Shaping

How to choose a topiary plant

Small leaves and naturally dense growth are what make a clipped shape read as a single green surface. Beyond that, choose on speed. Japanese Box (Buxus microphylla var. japonica) is the beginner's plant: slow, dense and forgiving of the odd wonky clip, usually kept well below its 1.5m potential and needing only one or two trims a year. Murraya sits at the other end, a fast grower to about 3m with richly fragrant flowers, reaching hedge size years sooner but asking for several clips a season to stay crisp. Port Wine Magnolia splits the difference: slow, very easy to shape, and carrying small cream and burgundy flowers with a strong port wine perfume in spring.

For balls and low domes, 'Golf Ball' kohuhu and the compact westringias were bred for the job. Westringia 'Zena' makes a 1m native sphere on almost any soil, and 'Grey Box' stays lower at about 80cm. For standards and cones, Bay Laurel is the classic, slow growing, usually clipped at 2m to 3m and edible into the bargain, while Lemon Cypress gives a chartreuse column with strongly lemon scented foliage.

Formal shapes in Australian gardens

Clipped plants read best against calm backgrounds: flanking a front door, marking the corners of a bed, or repeating in pots along a path. Climate barely limits the craft, only the plant list. In cool temperate gardens, box, bay, holly and the conifers are all frost hardy. In the subtropics and tropics, murraya, the lilly pillies and westringia do the clipping work instead, and Japanese Box itself is rated from cool temperate right into the subtropics. On exposed coast, bay and the westringias shrug off salt wind. Many of these plants double as formal hedges, and the best hedging plants collection overlaps heavily with this one.

Natives take to shears better than their reputation suggests. Lilly Pilly 'Big Red' clips into pillars and hedges with bright red new growth, 'Bush Christmas' holds a tight form at 1.5m to 2m, and the westringias handle frost, drought, salt and poor soil while being clipped as hard as any box.

Spacing and starting sizes

• 30cm to 40cm apart: Japanese Box for a formal low border.
• 50cm to 60cm apart: 'Min a Min' murraya and 'Grey Box' westringia at 50cm; 'Golf Ball' kohuhu, 'Zena' and rosemary at 60cm for an edged or low clipped line.
• 75cm to 1m apart: 'Bush Christmas' lilly pilly at 75cm; full sized murraya, bay and 'Big Red' at 1m.

For single specimens, buy the largest plant the budget allows. Balls and standards started from advanced stock arrive with the basic form already set, which saves a year or two of shaping and a great deal of second guessing.

Clipping, feeding and holding the shape

Clip little and often rather than hard and rarely. Trim after each flush of growth through the warm months, keep the base of any shape slightly wider than the top so light reaches the lowest leaves, and use sharp shears so cuts heal cleanly. With the conifers, never cut back past green foliage, since most will not reshoot from bare wood. After a hard clip, a deep water and a light feed help the plant refill quickly. Our beginner's pruning guide covers tools and technique in more detail.

Common questions

What is the easiest topiary plant for a beginner?

Japanese Box. It grows slowly enough that mistakes grow out before anyone notices, holds a clipped line for months, and copes with frost, heat, drought and poor soil. Plant it at 30cm to 40cm spacings for a low formal hedge.

Which topiary plants suit pots?

'Baby Bay' was selected for containers and stays compact at about 1.8m, while Japanese Box, 'Golf Ball' kohuhu and Lemon Cypress all do well potted. Use a quality mix and water more often than you would in the ground.

Can you clip Australian natives into formal shapes?

Yes. Westringia is the standout, with 'Zena' and 'Grey Box' bred for tight clipping, and lilly pillies such as 'Big Red' and 'Bush Christmas' shape happily into pillars, balls and hedges.

How often will I need to trim?

Slow growers such as box, bay and Port Wine Magnolia hold their shape on one or two clips a year. Fast growers such as murraya and westringia look sharpest trimmed after each growth flush, which can mean four or five light passes over a warm season.

How does delivery work?

Delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and no minimum order. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.