Espalier is a French word meaning fruit wall or more recently a tree or other plant trained to grow flat against a wall or trellis. The first reference to this was in Europe during the 16^th century.

While fruit trees were the original espalier, today many ornamental plants can be trained into gorgeous landscape designs. One should remember that espaliers are not low-maintenance. They require pruning at least twice a year and frequent tying to train the plants.

The pattern you chose is unlimited. They may be square, diamond, or rectangle. How simple or complex the design becomes is up to the imagination of the grower.

Support of the limbs or branches is extremely important since they must be tied in place. If you have a masonry wall you can drill holes and insert eye bolts to form your pattern. You can use coated wire to hold your plant in place. Tie shoots loosely to allow growth of the branch. Tying tightly might girdle the branch and kill it.

Apples and pears are available in dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks. This helps control height but fruiting and tree vigor is still there.

When you begin, start with young plants and prune then back but not below the graft union. You should tie young shoots as they grow into the shape you desire as they develop.

If you want to experiment, choose plants with flexible branches such as forsythia or firethorn (pyracantha). If you like evergreens, an upright form of yew (taxus) will also bend well.

Other choices include Japanese maple, redbud, flowering crabapple, flowering dogwood, flowering cherry, or wing enonymus.

The result can be rewarding but the conversation the plant brings from your visitors will be endless. So be a little different and start your espalier. You will be amazed at the impact it brings to your landscape.