Welcome to North Idaho

To live in a place other people dream of visiting is incredible. Through the lens of my camera OnLocation North Idaho will bring you a slice of life as we know it in the Idaho panhandle. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Shapely Shrubs

Bonsai is the ancient Chinese art of growing and shaping dwarfed trees and shrubs. This creative fence I spotted near the Coeur d'Alene Library made me think of Bonsai... North Idaho style.

3 comments:

JBelle said...

oh Good Lord, run and hide. Run and hide! These are espaliers, Kerri. I know you didn't know and I just don't hold it against you. But. I think I know people who will...

Kerri Rankin Thoreson said...

my dear friend, don't cry for me because I don't possess a green thumb! You however are the Queen of the Garden. I have never before in my life heard of espaliers. Ever. And I've heard lots of things and know lots of words. For any others who are garden challenged here's the Wikipedia take on my shapely shrubs. LOL LOL LOL
Espalier is the horticultural technique of training trees through pruning and grafting in order to create formal "two-dimensional" or single plane patterns by the branches of the tree. The technique was popular in the Middle Ages in Europe to produce fruit inside the walls of a typical castle courtyard without interfering with the open space, and to decorate solid walls by such trees planted near them. Evidence exists suggesting that the technique dates back much further, perhaps even to ancient Egypt. The word espalier initially referred to the actual trellis on which the plant was trained to grow, but over time has come to be used to describe the technique.

JBelle said...

I'm just afraid. ;)