Trees with a shape

I am fascinated by all the shaped trees here.   And as there are no leaves on the trees at the moment, the shape of each tree is very clear.   But the work involved to keep these trees so beautifully shaped is quite substantial, but then we are in the Netherlands where there is pride in keeping trees looking very trim and tidy.  

The tree below is trimmed so that is has very straight sides.    Perfect.   No extra branches getting in everyone's way here.  

 But my favourite is the espaliered approach.    And I have taken many photos of different approaches to espaliered trees.  

The high fence of espaliered trees.   A very tall ladder is needed for this one.  And very high poles.

 The corner espaliered fence.   Note the low box hedge under the fence above and below.    Double effectiveness and double work.

 The single look.   No need for poles on these trees.    Self supporting.   Telegraph poles without the wires.

 The slightly hairy look.    Obviously pruning was forgotten last autumn or the owners are going for a slightly dishevelled look.    These trees are not fitting the tidy and trim pattern in Holland.  

 Also very popular in Holland are parterre gardens, using box hedging.   The local garden centre is selling small buxus shrubs for 1 euro each.    Very reasonable.    However, not for my garden.

Fruit trees trained so that they fan out from the bottom to create a trough effect.   Lots of air down the middle.    

 The stand alone stunted look.    Fruit trees of some sort.    A way of fitting lots of fruit trees into one small area.    Obviously fruit well too.    There are small apple trees in the garden at the end of this road which are pruned the same way, and they were covered in apples last year.

A visit to the local garden centre.    Here we found small trees already espaliered, using bamboo poles. Very impressed.  

And finally the ancient espaliered self standing trees, which may have once been attached to poles but now have such thick branches that nothing will move them.     Beautiful, as is the house behind the trees.  

I have two small apples trees which I planted in my garden last October.   Cheap apple trees, £5 each from the supermarket.   And I intend to stunt their growth, as well as gain the maximum  amount of fruit.   I think I will go for the combined (they are very close together) stunted stand alone look.   I may even attach a bit of bamboo, from the bamboo I chopped down in the front garden.    I am inspired and aim to be successful.   Reports and photos to follow soon.