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: Churches & Religion • Horticulture & Forestry.
Location. 40° 39.914′ N, 73° 57.794′ W. Marker is in Brooklyn, New York, in Kings County. It is in Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Marker 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.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Teff (here, next to this marker); East Asia and South Asia / Pacific and Southeast Asia
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 98 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 16, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
