These are the first hints that this 340-acre property is a nursery with a twist. The owner, Peter Thevenot, is among the few plantsmen in the country who have revived the art of espalier, the ancient horticultural practice of pruning tree branches into fanciful shapes. Today, many top garden designers and landscape architects are taking a second look at this haute form of horticulture. "The use of espaliered plant forms in garden design can be exciting visually," says classically trained landscape architect John Howard of Howard & Roden-Lupton in Atlanta. "In a small amount of space, the designer can create patterned backdrops on garden walls or use the espalier form freestanding end-to-end to create a natural fence for a garden enclosure."

Espalier has a time-honored place in the history of gardening. Egyptian tomb paintings circa 1400 B.C. reflect images of espaliered fig trees growing in the Pharaoh's garden. In medieval times, European monks carefully trained fruit and nut trees to grow flat against the walls of great monastic gardens. During the 17th century in England and especially in France, espalier gained widespread popularity, appearing on humble village walls, as well as in elaborate configurations in the Versailles kitchen garden of Louis XIV. (The term espalier is derived from the French word for shoulder, épaule.)

Espaliered plants are prized for their symmetry and versatility andfor their ability to add ornamental beauty to both compact and sweeping spaces. They can be used either as privacy screens, to adorn bare walls, to define walkways and driveways, or to create the living architecture of an arbor or allée. As an added benefit, espaliered plants produce more abundant fruits and flowers because the roots of the clipped plants have less area to nourish.

Palm Beach landscape architect Phil Maddux of Sanchez & Maddux, a firm known for immaculate garden designs, uses espalier frequently for projects. "We use it for several reasons," he explains. "For example, night-blooming jasmine is not particularly attractive grown wild, but when trained flat to a wall, it takes on a more comely shape and produces more flowers and fragrance.

"Espalier is useful for any narrow planting line or close, confined area," adds Maddux. "We recently lined a parking court with espaliered bougainvillea, 'Don Juan' roses, and magnolia trees. A diamond pattern of confederate jasmine is great for a linear wall. It provides flowers and fragrance and has a handsome dark-green color when it's not in bloom."

Mary Palmer Dargan, owner of Dargan Landscape Architects in Atlanta and professor of landscape architecture at Clemson University in South Carolina, also recommends Sasanqua camellias, "which are great to use under windows and on the bare sides of houses," she says. "I've also had success with pyracantha espaliers," she adds. The formal beauty of espalier frequently enhances her European-inspired garden designs.

Depending on the desired size and shape, a tree or series of trees takes approximately four to five years to hand-sculpt into centuries-old classic European forms, such as the horizontal cordon, fan, Belgian fence, or candelabra. These forms can be precise and geometric or slightly looser and more romantic. "We never use espalier in a pretentious way," Maddux notes. "It is seldom the focal point, and our patterns tend to be looser and less structured."

Knowing where to prune, where to influence, and how far to bend without breaking a stem are the keys to espalier success. While books instruct novice gardeners in espalier techniques, it is best to leave this delicate and time-consuming process to the experts -- especially for complicated and multiple plant arrangements.

During the growing season, in spring and summer, Thevenot typically works up to 12 hours a day in the nursery. In the process, he has learned to "listen" to his plants. "I can hear the sounds of motion in them," he says. "There are idiosyncrasies in each plant and tree. Some of them want to grow themselves for you. Others are mischievous."

At the end of the day, this homespun artist with pruning shears gives much of the credit to nature. "The technique merely accents what the plant is capable of doing on its own, and that is to grow. Espalier provides the artistic direction."