Horti–torture, such a good description of what we see everywhere. Over the next few months I intend to post a few articles showing samples of what I call Horti–torture. 

The phrase was introduced to me by Janis Marie one of our designers for the Garden Crew. When I heard it, I loved it. It perfectly describes what too many people do. As near as I can tell there are three main reasons for Horti–torture. First is simply choosing the wrong plant for the spot.

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This is a duplex area in front of a courtyard fence where you would expect either a lawn or a low shrubby ground cover like junipers or spreading cotoneaster

This is a closeup that shows you what these shrubs are. Can you believe oleanders pruned to 3x3' balls.

 As we all know oleanders are heavy blooming shrubs that grow to 10 or twelve feet tall and wide. It must take a lot of work to keep them this size. Presumably they were used because they were a couple of dollars cheaper than something more appropriate. These are over 20 years old. Do you think this was a savings?

Choosing the right plant for the right spot is always cheaper and better looking

This is something we have all seen. A blue pfitzer juniper pruned into an ugly ball. Here the area was too small and being over 20 years old it needed to be replaced. Sometimes the problem is leaving the plant in just too many years. so the second reason is not remembering that shrubs need to be replaced when they get too old and overgrown for the spot. Often we want a landscape to look good in 3 years and plants that looked right after only three years of growth don't any longer after twelve or fifteen years.

 Replace them!!

This is an olive tree that is being pruned into a grotesque shape just because. there is no space reason why the olive couldn't be allowed to grow into a full sized olive. Presumably the maintenance crew doesn't want to have to natural prune an olive so they hedge it. so the third reason is because the maintenance don't know what else to do.

 I have lots more samples of Horti–torture to show you. Check back to see if your yard is hi-lighted here. 

Jungle Jim

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