Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls or Bay Topiary Balls

Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls are fragrant evergreen topiary balls or globes that also suit containers and create formal year-round interest.

Laurus Nobilis is better known as the Bay Tree. It’s native to southern Europe but has grown in the UK for centuries and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 

It’s an erect, evergreen shrub with narrow dark green leaves that feel leathery and create a deep rich flavour in soups, stews or Bolognese dishes.
In spring, small yellow pollinator-friendly flowers appear in clusters. They are so attractive to bees the RHS has also awarded Laurus Nobilis their Perfect for Pollinators badge. If left unclipped flowers mature into small black berries for the birds.

Slow-growing Bay topiary balls are clipped and shaped as low-growing balls or globes. They are a great choice for compact spaces as they’re evergreen, need pruning just once per year to maintain the shape, they attract pollinators, and the leaves are extremely tasty. It’s hard to think of another evergreen that’s so hard working.

Height And Spread of Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls
Bay topiary balls can be kept small and tight with a yearly trim or left to grow loose and shaggy with a yearly prune.

How Hardy Is Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls
Bay topiary balls are hardy in most of the UK if the roots are well-drained. They like a warm sunny spot and tolerate drought once established.

How To Use Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls
Bay topiary balls are ideal for year-round interest and they are small enough to fit the most compact spaces.
Their globe shape creates a formal feel en-masse in the border, and they create structure interspersed with other loose plants. Bay tolerates dry conditions, so it’s ideal for containers on the patio, balcony, deck, or as a pair framing a doorway.
Bay topiary balls compliment a kitchen garden and can be used to separate growing areas or line a pathway instead of buxus.
The short stature of these balls helps preserve soil and forms that tricky low-growing tier that covers the base of leggy roses and tall shrubs.

How To Care For Laurus Nobilis Topiary Balls
Bay topiary balls grow in all types of well-drained soil. They like full sun to partial shade and can tolerate some exposure.
To maintain the sphere a single yearly trim in winter is sufficient. Bay is slow-growing and low maintenance enough to suit the busiest of gardeners.
If container-grown be sure to water frequently and feed two to three times a year. In the border, water until established and apply mulch in spring to cut out weed competition and trap moisture.