Topiary basically is the art of ornamental gardening, wherein practitioners trim, train, and prune plants into almost any shape and size. Topiary installations vary greatly in size; from pieces as big as trees shaped like ice cream cones to those small enough to fit in handheld cups. The art of topiary itself isn’t exactly a new concept: in fact, it can be traced as far back as 2,000 years ago to ancient Rom

Different types of plants are used for topiaries, though some specific types prove to fare far better than others. Four of such plant types exist: shrubs, hedges, herbs, and vines. For shrubs, the most popular types include boxwood, holly, laurel, and privet. Excellent-looking pyramidal, cylindrical, and obelisk-like designs are best achieved with hedges; herbs are perfect for smaller pieces or as mini gift items (and they have the fragrance to boot); and vines offer perhaps the most possibilities for achieving various forms.

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