Espalier
Today's A Word A Day is espalier. Beside being a famous restaurant in Boston, espalier is the technique of flat tree growing. At first glance this might strike you as alternatively beautiful and crazy, bu t it made perfect sense inside a medieval courtyard when light was good, but space was limited. Because this maximizes sunlight on the branches, this manipulation is also a way to grow fruit trees in cooler climates where they would not normally grow. I think it's beautiful, and unlike topiaries, has a more than just decorative purpose. More information about the trees, shrubs, vines, and patterns of espalier can be found here .