Espalier Top Fruit

Espalier is a training system for fruit trees to enable the fruit to be easily accessible it encourages the production of fruiting spurs if pruned at the correct time. They create an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to mask ugly vertical elements like panel fencing.

It’s a great way to produce fruit in a relatively small garden and different aspects can be utilised depending on the aspect whether north, south, east or west. Example Morello cherry espalier and pear espalier can do well on a northerly aspect. Whereas greengage espalier, apricot espalier, peach espalier and nectarine espalier need a south or south westerly aspect.

Avenues can be defined by using espalier systems, functional and productive, useful in both small and large gardens. Espaliers can be used to punctuate a vegetable garden and define the productive from the ornamental.

Espalier Ornamental

Whilst it is more unusual to see ornamental espalier systems it is entirely feasible and can be very effective. Evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex) can make a particularly attractive avenue of espalier. The ornamental pear botanical name is Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’.

Espalier Aches

These can be ornamental or fruiting and will take some years to reach their truly impressive, but the wait is well worth waiting for. We use feathered trees to create an arched espalier system; it will take time for the trained horizontal laterals to meet