Tree shaping is the equivalent of the arborists’ art form. It uses living trees and woody plants to create structure and art in landscaping projects. This is accomplished by training living trees to form certain shapes or structures. 

There are many forms of tree training and shaping. We’ve listed some of our favourites below: 

Espalier – espalier training is training a tree to grow up a trellis, wall, or other flat structure. This is a great tree shaping option for fruit trees. It eases picking, maximises sunlight exposure, and increases fruit production. 

Pleaching – pleaching is the tree shaping process of weaving branches into a mass of plant material. This can be used as a fence, cage, tunnel, or hedge. Some people have even practised pleaching on thick hedges to control animals.

Topiary – topiary is the cutting and shaping of hedges to make a distinct shape. Animals or other abstract shapes are popular options. These are especially eye-catching, aren’t they? 

Bonsai – we’ve all seen those gorgeous little bonsai trees. This practice is growing bonsai trees or shrubs in pots to mimic their mature form through specialised pruning and shaping techniques. 

Some of the basic methods to accomplish these types of tree shaping include framing and pruning. These balance the tree structure and help create a framework from other materials to shape and manipulate the tree. Although some of these methods require specific skill sets, we at Dynamic Arborist have done basic tree shaping projects for customers all across Melbourne. 

Our professional arborists are highly qualified and trained in all things arboriculture. We use high-end equipment and perform regular training so that our team can stay on top of all of the new things in the arborist industry. We believe in doing things with excellence and caring for trees in a way that sets them up well to grow and thrive on their own in the future. 

Whether you want your trees shaped to fit-in well with the aesthetic of your landscape, or are hoping to get more sunlight to your lawn, pruning and shaping is a great way to support your yard. Give us a call to learn more about our services and how we can cater our skills to meet your tree care needs.