Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Kings County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Tradition of Espalier
Espalier (es-PAL-yay) is the art of training woody trees and shrubs, usually on a wall or fence. A painting of an espaliered fig tree in an ancient Egyptian tomb shows this pruning method to be thousands of years old.
Beautiful Shapes
European monks in the 1500s and 1600s practiced espalier because it was healthy for the plants, space saving, and productive. This meticulous pruning method is also considered a meditative endeavor.
green tip
Apple and pear trees like the ones you see in this garden are good choices for espalier. You can also train ornamental plants such as camellias and witch-hazels.
Erected by Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Religion & Religious Structures.
Location. 40° 39.914′ N, 73° 57.794′ W. Marker is in Brooklyn, New York, in Kings County. It is in Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It can be reached from Flatbush Avenue 0.1 miles north of Empire Boulevard, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 455 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn NY 11225, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Northeast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, the Western Hemisphere, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance
this page online
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 388 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 16, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
