Topic
Topiary
About: Topiary is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 29 publications have been published within this topic receiving 66 citations.
Papers
Dissertation•
1 Jan 2004
TL;DR: The plants in the ancient Roman garden were chosen with deliberation as discussed by the authors by the meaning and associations the plants conveyed to the garden visitors, according to their ability to convey special references, creating "landscapes of allusions".
Abstract: The plants in the ancient Roman garden were chosen with deliberation. These choices were ruled by the meaning and associations the plants conveyed to the garden visitors. Through a close reading of Latin literature and epigraphic sources (used here for the first time in relation to Roman gardens), as well as an examination of the archaeological record from Campanian garden excavations, I deal with plants used as elements in Roman garden design. Various treatments of the plants and what they say on the level of specialization in the area of gardening are the main objects of study. The Roman garden gave an aesthetic experience through its plants. Treated plants were arranged together with untreated ones for visual effects, creating contrasts and excitement and evoking feelings of a play between ars and natura. A special place was taken by evergreens in their role of structuring elements employed as hedges or cut into geometric or figurative shapes, making up topiary arrangements. I have observed that certain plants were chosen for certain surroundings based on their capacity to convey special references, creating ‘landscapes of allusions’. Plane trees seem to have been chosen in certain instances to transmit references to the Greek gymnasium, famous for its planes, thus creating an educational/philosophical aura. Manipulation of form as in topiary or shaped vegetables, graftings of fruit trees, and forcing the growth of certain plants in order to bloom or mature out of season are seen as examples of the involvement of man in the area of horticulture. Latin writers refer to several of these methods as Roman inventions. The present study can show that there seems to be a certain creative time span in the field of horticulture in early Imperial times. Certain ‘amateur’ interests in various treatments of plants are yet other examples of the interest and activity by the Romans in this area. Prestige and economic value were among the motivating factors. Through preliminary analyses of the epigraphic and literary testimonies relating to the terms viridia/viridarium as well as topiarius, I show that these terms are linked, regarding both chronology (occurring in late Republic/early Augustan times) and content, being interpreted as testimonies to a specialization in the area of gardening. Viridia and viridarium refer to plants and their milieu, being particular areas of some status. The examination of the occupational title topiarius has led to the conclusion that this word designated a workman possessing both skill and status. The evidence of the existence of training in connection with topiarius is particularly significant. Through this study I have given examples of how the Roman garden, with its well-formulated design and its instances of control and manipulation of natura by man, might be understood as belonging to a discourse on ars and natura, a discourse whose exact nature is not yet defined but whose importance cannot be denied in the context of the Roman society at large. (Less)
14 citations
Patent•
13 Jun 1978
TL;DR: In this paper, a group of topiary framing members, each carried separately by a planter or flower pot, are slideably assembled into a group for contiguous support, one planter by the next.
Abstract: A group of topiary framing members, each carried separately by a planter or flower pot, the pots or planters slideably assembled into a group for contiguous support, one planter by the next. The exposed parts of each plant have a color distinct from an adjacent plant and are supported by a planter separable from the group for trimming to a selected shape provided by the topiary framing member, so that the assembly of topiary frames and plants thereon forms a composite design of trimmed shape, each individual plant of the assembly growing from a separate planter. The group of composite framing members are in the form of an ornamental object, such as animal or person or other, having the appearance of an ornamental single statuary composite, and the plants thereof grow as a group while their planters are separable easily for trimming of the plants, such as slideably, and are then reassembled into the ornamental composite.
14 citations
Book•
28 Jan 2013
TL;DR: Sedding's vision for the landscaped garden is described in this article, which helped to revive garden features such as terraces, covered walkways and topiary and inspired generations of garden designers, particularly in the Arts and Crafts movement.
Abstract: John D. Sedding (1838–91) was an English church architect and an influential figure in the Arts and Crafts movement. Having worked in Penzance and Bristol, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1874 and set up a practice in London, eventually becoming a neighbour of William Morris. His designs included new churches such as Holy Trinity in Sloane Street (1888–90), Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell (1887–95), and All Saints, Falmouth (1887–90), as well as restoration projects and decorative work. In 1888 he moved to Kent, and developed his interests in gardening and garden design. This book, completed in 1890 and published posthumously in 1891, sets out Sedding's vision for the landscaped garden. It helped to revive garden features such as terraces, covered walkways and topiary, and inspired generations of garden designers, particularly in the Arts and Crafts movement.
5 citations
1 Oct 2001
TL;DR: In this paper, a questionnaire survey was conducted in a middle-sized electric manufacturing company to determine workers negative feelings against foliage plants at the workplace, finding that around 20% of the workers out of 102 respondents (response rate: 92.7%) thought that foliage plants disrupted their work.
Abstract: A questionnaire survey was conducted in a middle-sized electric manufacturing company to determine workers negative feelings against foliage plants at the workplace. Around 20% of the workers out of 102 respondents (response rate: 92.7%) thought that foliage plants disrupted their work. on the other hand, 60% of the workers felt refreshed from foliage plants. A 30-item semantic scale was used to evaluate images of foliage plants arranged in a simulated office. Nine kinds of foliage plants (height 150–200 cm) were evaluated by 36 students. The results suggest that the most relaxing plant was a weeping fig with a round-shaped topiary silhouette. on the contrary, Dragon tree and Spanish dagger plants gave feelings of tenseness because their leaves are very sharp and narrow. The result in paired comparisons of five small potted plants showed that weeping fig was the most disliked plant because it looked very weak.
5 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
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| 2020 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |