Practical Guide to Pruning, Training and Topiary: How To Prune And Train Trees, Shrubs, Hedges, Topiary, Tree And Soft Fruit, Climbers And Roses

A clear and expert how-to guide to pruning and training ornamental and fruiting plants, with 970 informative photographs and illustrations, and a directory of plants and how to prune them. A helpful introduction, covering basic principles and techniques, is followed by chapters arranged by plant type. Each one includes practical advice, illustrated with step-by-step photographic sequences and artworks, on the initial training of the plant type in question, how to prune, and how to undertake renovation pruning. An invaluable A–Z directory of ornamental plants looks at the pruning requirements of a wide range of species on a plant-by-plant basis, explaining when and how to prune. All techniques and projects are shown in close-up step-by-step photography and diagrams, making this an essential book on the subject for any gardener.

Richard Bird has contributed to numerous publications and has been the editor for Focus on Plants, The Hardy Plant, Alpine Gardening and the Alpine Garden Society’s Magazine Bulletin. He is also a full-time author and has written over 30 books on subjects as diverse as alpines, lilies and kitchen gardening.