Fun Houzz: Top Topiary and Lifelike Living Sculptures
Plants and hedges can do so much more than simply grow – they can be clipped, coiffed, trimmed and sculpted for truly spectacular results
Topiary used to be something you would find in a formal garden (very Versailles!), but these days it’s come over more kooky and creative. From animals shaped from living plants to lunar landscapes clipped from simple box hedges, the sky is the limit with today’s topiary. Just look at these!
His sheep aren’t far behind either. After all, a shepherd is nothing without his flock. And what a well tended flock it is too. The way the shepherd’s cloak trails off into, and becomes a part of the land around him really gives the sense of his life on the land, and the shrubbery used for the sheep’s wool makes it seem fluffy and warm.
Find a frog
An amphibian friend enjoys a little rest in the sun whilst taking a break from his usual aquatic antics. The different colours used on his tummy are a fun touch, and as for those beady eyes… this frog could spot you from a mile away.
An amphibian friend enjoys a little rest in the sun whilst taking a break from his usual aquatic antics. The different colours used on his tummy are a fun touch, and as for those beady eyes… this frog could spot you from a mile away.
Line it up
These ring-tailed lemurs, marching in a line, look as though they could hop out of sight at any moment. Their orange eyes are a quirky feature, and clearly mark where one stops and the other begins. What a fun bunch of furry friends.
These ring-tailed lemurs, marching in a line, look as though they could hop out of sight at any moment. Their orange eyes are a quirky feature, and clearly mark where one stops and the other begins. What a fun bunch of furry friends.
Create a canine
This appealing pooch has a coat of African clubmoss and a welded metal nose, collar and ears. He’s actually an homage to an akita named Hachiko, who waited loyally at the train station every day for 10 years while his owner went off to work.
This appealing pooch has a coat of African clubmoss and a welded metal nose, collar and ears. He’s actually an homage to an akita named Hachiko, who waited loyally at the train station every day for 10 years while his owner went off to work.
Find Nemo
This amazing sculpture of a clownfish also shows his native habitat of coral reef. It’s like part of the Great Barrier Reef has washed up in your garden…
This amazing sculpture of a clownfish also shows his native habitat of coral reef. It’s like part of the Great Barrier Reef has washed up in your garden…
Monkey around
Is this a troop of chimpanzees enjoying the sun? Their poses are so natural and they look so lifelike, you half expect David Attenborough to peep out from between the banana plants.
Is this a troop of chimpanzees enjoying the sun? Their poses are so natural and they look so lifelike, you half expect David Attenborough to peep out from between the banana plants.
Write it up
This pretty topiary bed is scattered with squiggles that, on closer inspection, turn out to be numbers and letters. You could even encode a secret message into your garden with a little bit of creativity.
Tour an Italianate garden
This pretty topiary bed is scattered with squiggles that, on closer inspection, turn out to be numbers and letters. You could even encode a secret message into your garden with a little bit of creativity.
Tour an Italianate garden
Hang out
Freakishly realistic, this orang-utan is planted with Carex grasses, creating a convincingly hairy coat. It’s almost unbelievable that this is made from grass.
Freakishly realistic, this orang-utan is planted with Carex grasses, creating a convincingly hairy coat. It’s almost unbelievable that this is made from grass.
Make a friend
This sculpture shows a woman befriending a long-necked bird. They share a warming embrace, and the clever use of colour keep the two easily distinguishable.
This sculpture shows a woman befriending a long-necked bird. They share a warming embrace, and the clever use of colour keep the two easily distinguishable.
Do the twist
Known as the ‘classic twizzle’ in gardening circles (possibly…), this spiralling design is full of movement. This is a great way add interest and pattern into a garden without quite as much maintenance.
Known as the ‘classic twizzle’ in gardening circles (possibly…), this spiralling design is full of movement. This is a great way add interest and pattern into a garden without quite as much maintenance.
Embrace mother nature
A female figure is seen rising from the earth, with a small dog escaping her hand, almost as if she had breathed life into it herself, before setting it free.
A female figure is seen rising from the earth, with a small dog escaping her hand, almost as if she had breathed life into it herself, before setting it free.
Go global
Creating globe shapes in topiary is nothing new, but by making them in different sizes, they suddenly look like boulders strewn by the path, fantastic green bubbles or weird planets.
Discover even more topiary photos, from the crazy to the classic.
TELL US…
Share your thoughts on experimental topiary and crazy plant sculptures in the Comments below.
Creating globe shapes in topiary is nothing new, but by making them in different sizes, they suddenly look like boulders strewn by the path, fantastic green bubbles or weird planets.
Discover even more topiary photos, from the crazy to the classic.
TELL US…
Share your thoughts on experimental topiary and crazy plant sculptures in the Comments below.
This mosaiculture pays tribute to a shepherd in a fable who planted trees on a desolate piece of land, turning it into fields and forests. Just check out his dog! Possibly the most dog-like arrangement of plants you will ever set eyes on.