Pleaching

Pleaching is a horticultural technique in which trees or shrubs are trained by bending and weaving their pliant branches to form a living lattice, screen, or arch. The result is a semi-permanent feature that can serve as a privacy screen, shade, windbreak, or ornate pathway cover, while allowing light to pass through.

Historically developed in Europe, pleaching dates to medieval and early modern gardens, appearing in formal landscapes and urban streetscapes. Plants commonly used include hazel, hornbeam, lime, beech, and hawthorn, chosen for flexible shoots and vigorous regrowth. The process often begins with pollarding or coppicing to produce sturdy, straight leaders from which lateral shoots can be woven into a grid or arch.

Construction: a framework of stakes and horizontal rails or wires is installed along the desired line. Flexible shoots are bent away from the main stem and guided into the lattice, then tied or woven with neighboring shoots. The structure can be built as a flat hedge, a tunnel, or an open arch. As plants mature, the weave thickens and is pruned to maintain form. Replacing or renewing branches may be necessary over time.

Maintenance and uses: Pleached features require regular pruning to sustain shape; new growth is woven into the pattern to maintain height and density. Today, pleaching is used in traditional garden design, park landscapes, and urban greenways to create living spaces that blend architecture with natural growth.