TOPIARY DESIGN AND TECHNIQUE

Covering history, inspiration, site preparation and planting, assessing the site, design of shapes and spaces, clipping, hedges, simple shapes, complex and figurative shapes, special projects, and not forgetting problem-solving, this is a very special colour illustrated handbook. Architectural topiary may mark boundaries or screen something and may even take the shape of for example Mickey Mouse, or cone shapes or faces. Topiary is as old as gardening itself. From the gardens of ancient Egypt to the arts and crafts creations of Edwardian England, and the private and public gardens of today, living green sculpture has been clipped into shape. With its bold silhouettes, topiary is an icon that defines the hand of man in creating gardens, expressing the gardener's ideas and firing the observer's imagination. Also covers regular and long-term maintenance and step-by-step methods of creating topiary pieces. Informative photographs offer ideas and starting points for creating your personal topiary work, while guidelines to creating specific shapes and designs are set out in simple diagrams that illustrate the stages of transformation from unruly shrub to stylised art form. 128 large pages packed with colour photos.