espalier

 The word "espalier" is a French word, pronounced as "es-pal-yer." It is derived from the Italian word "spalliera" which means to rest against a shoulder.

camellia on the coach house, prior to its annual prune (see below)

THEY think espaliered trees add structure to the garden. I think they make it easier for smalls, like my friend Inigo & his sister Illa, to reach during harvest time.

In the apple circle, the nine different varieties of heritage apples (from Woodbridge Fruit Trees in Tasmania) were trained on to a rustic wooden fence, made from old tree trunks & branches, now the apples are the fence.

The apples are from dwarfing root stock, and ripen in sequence over a seven month period.

Woodbridge are very generous with their tips on getting started with espaliers.

Another espalier apple, on the side of the cottage.

orange & lemon tunnel in the making, resting against a willow frame

This is the camellia half way through its annual pruning - HE gets very cross if people think HE was an orthodontist in a previous life.

cherries against a drystone wall

breakfast room: "espalier" wallpaper by pierre frey, tablecloth from Pigott's Store, repro chairs of no consequence, painted white.

photograph Mark Jones