Cupressus: how to plant like a designer

When you think of beautiful Italian gardens, one of the first things that come to mind is the iconic Cupressus. This elegant tree has become part of Italian gardening heritage due its ability to grow pretty much anywhere, in any climate. These stunning evergreen conifers derive from the family Cupressaceae, which also have the common name cypress. But why are these trees becoming so popular here in the UK? Here we look at why designers go mad for these beautiful species, and why they prefer to plant them in rows of three….

Three is the magic number for garden design

Why is three such an aesthetically pleasing number? It’s because three is the smallest number we need to create a pattern. It’s the perfect combination of brevity and rhythm and it’s a principle captured neatly in the Latin phrase omne trium perfectum. This means – everything that comes in threes is perfect, or every set of three is complete. When planting Cupressus trees, planting an odd number means you can arrange in a more natural cluster than in a block shape. Also, planting in three, ensures the group has substance and impact.

Where to plant Cupressus?

Plant your Cupressus in full sun in a position sheltered from cold winter winds. Ideally, place in any moist, well-drained soil, and once established will tolerate dry periods. If you are using a container, soil-based potting compost is ideal. Dig a planting hole larger than the root ball of the cypress tree and add organic compost into the hole. Also, remember to consider the final size of the tree and the space it will take up. Adult trees can grow to a size of around 70 feet tall, but most will not achieve this size in an average-sized garden. If it does start to outgrow the space, you can easily prune it back to the required size.

Here at the Norfolk Olive Tree Company, we stock high-quality Cupressus in bundles of 3 – take a look at our irresistible offers today.