Tip-Top Topiaries

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Sarah L. Ivy

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I love visiting public and private gardens. It’s such a relaxing and inspiring experience to walk through an outdoor space and not have to think about pulling weeds. (Plus, it’s really fun to enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor.)

I’ve had the opportunity to visit some really amazing gardens – both home and abroad. One thing I’ve found is that topiaries are a truly unique form of garden art that I’ve really come to appreciate. The fact that people have the talent and forethought to create such incredible green masterpieces often leaves me awestruck. Sneak a peek at the following topiaries with me. Maybe you’ll be inspired to add a whimsical garden masterpiece in your landscape!

The person who carved this hand out of a privet deserves a high five! You can visit this palm piece at Lancaster Farms in Virginia.
Disney World is famous for its rides and magical atmosphere. A lot of behind-the-scenes work goes on to create a landscape that reflects animals and characters of all kinds!
Topiary experts at Florida’s Cypress Gardens used mums to create this feeding frenzy!
This juniper has been pruned to look like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! You can find these “pom-poms” at Filoli Historic House and Gardens in California.
I love this scene! A fox chase made with plants (at Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland).

Photo Credit: Lee Ivy

Facts

Located in Monkton, MD, Ladew Topiary Gardens has been called “the most outstanding topiary garden in America.”

Definitions

Topiary: Training, cutting and trimming trees or shrubs into unnatural ornamental shapes.

Resources

Filoli Historic House and Gardens in Woodside, CA, is home to some amazing topiary creations. For more information on the 16-acre formal garden itself, including directions, visit its website.
Unfortunately you can no longer walk along Topiary Trail in Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, FL. The park announced its closure in late 2009.

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Special gardening tasks require special tools. Here are the tools needed for pruning, as well as a few quick tips on how to use them effectively.
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Espalier is a training technique used to grow plants flat against a wall or fence. Not only do these plants create a living fence, they become works of art. Here’s how to start creating your own masterpiece.

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