Take a stroll through the garden and you are bound to come across a corridor of trees we call the Hornbeam Walk. This passage is called an allée, a French term that describes a straight path bordered by trees or shrubs. Our hornbeams are woven together using a technique known as pleaching, when young branches are lashed or bound together to form a dense living wall. These branches can grow together in a natural graft known as inosculation, further strengthening the structure.

Carpinus henryana, also known as the Henry hornbeam, is one of 43 recognized species of the genus Carpinus. Native to southern China, the Henry hornbeam is characterized by its dainty branches and narrow, lanceolate leaves that form thick screens. New leaves emerge purple-brown and fuzzy, unfurling to reveal silver hairs over a green, ribbed leaf. Our hornbeams are baring themselves for winter, but this offers a unique opportunity to view their woven structure! Come check them out at the border of the pattern garden.