Living Sculpture Website Template Pruners Time Required Design and planning can take from one to several hours. Creating the initial work requires similar time. Care and sculpting can be a weekly or monthly task depending on your shape and plant material. Directions Shrub topiaries can take three to ten years to produce. Usually a frame is placed over the plant to guide plant growth and pruning. In small topiaries like a chest-high globe, may only require one plant. A life-size elephant on the other hand may require at least four plants planted at each foot. In either case, the plants are trained to grow up and into the frame through careful pruning, shaping, and weaving. It’s best to choose plants that tolerate pruning well and naturally full. It’s best to choose very young plants that will grow and mature around your frame. Select a site and think about what shape you’d like your topiary to take Select a frame to use and determine what type and the quantity of plant materials you’ll need. Prepare your site for planting by clearing and turning the soil and adding any amendments needed. Plant a shrub at each place the frame will come into contact with the soil.

For instance, if you have a four-legged cat frame, place a plant where each of the four legs will be. Place the frame over the plants. Water well and mulch around the shrubs. The type of frame/shape you’ve chosen will determine how often pruning will be needed. Clip, prune, tuck, and ties as needed to maintain shape and encourage the plants to fill in the frame. Provide adequate water and nutrition so shrubs will establish well. Recommended Plants Dense and full shrubs like small-leaved evergreens work the best. Boxwood (Buxus spp.) has shiny, small, dark green leaves. It is a bit slow growing, which means your won’t have to prune and trim quite as often. Yews (Taxus spp.) have glossy, dark green needles and after repeated clippings develop really dense growth. Holly (Ilex spp.) is not as commonly used as boxwood or yews but it’s multi-pointed shiny leaves can be very attractive. Going further… There are many different shapes to sculpt into topiaries.

Check out a few of these for inspiration: Project MUSE - Topiary: Ethics and Aesthetics Ethics and Aesthetics [ Figures ] Abstract: In this paper we discuss ethical and aesthetic questions in relation to the gardening practice of topiary. We begin by considering the ethical concerns arising from the uneasiness some appreciators might feel when experiencing topiary as a manipulation or contortion of natural processes. We then turn to ways in which topiary might cause an 'aesthetic affront' through the humanizing effects of sentimentality and falsification of nature (most often found in representational rather than abstract topiary). Our contention is that successful topiary emerges through a dynamic and positive relationship between topiarist and tree, where the gardener works with nature's forms instead of in strong opposition to them. Appreciation of successful topiary, we shall argue, is marked by an experience of both the tree as a living thing and the artifice which has shaped it. What is Topiary? Topiary is the practice, or some say, art, of trimming, pruning, and training trees and other plants into ornamental shapes.

Topiarists use plants that have growing rates and textures suited to coaxing them into particular shapes and maintaining the shapes over time with pruning. Typical topiary plants are privet and boxwood because of their dense texture, and [End Page 127] different kinds of yew because of their texture and slow growth rate. Cypress was favored by the earliest topiarists in ancient Rome, and it is used in present day in warmer climates. One's choice of plant and particular specimen depends on many factors, including what shape one wants to create and how quickly one wants a result. Creation and maintenance of the shapes is achieved through the use of wires, twine, stakes, and of course, trimming and pruning. There are different kinds of topiary and many different examples of possible shapes. This paper focuses on traditional topiary gardens, collections of growing trees that are maintained through trimming and pruning, and trees with some history. Our own experience, and many of the examples below, come mainly from one of the largest and oldest topiary gardens, at Levens Hall, just north of Lancaster in England.

The Levens topiary garden was begun by Beaumont in 1689, and many of the original trees still exist. Topiary also includes knot gardens, espalier (training plants into flat, two-dimensional surfaces), and the architectural topiary of hedges formed into walls, windows, arches, mazes, green rooms, arcades, and columns. Besides these types of gardens, more recently, people have become interested in tabletop or portable topiary, which is created with frames and is more of an object for decoration rather than existing within a garden setting. The fast food of topiary is mock topiary, which is much more like a sculpture in that its materials, glued together branches, moss, and so on, are no longer growing. We make a distinction in the paper between abstract and representational topiary. As with this distinction more generally, there is no sharp divide between the two, but there are clear cases of each type. Among abstract topiary there are the severe geometrical forms of formal gardens—pyramids, squares and balls—and the more free-form spirals, rings or hoops, cloud-shapes, and judge's wigs.

On the representational side we find, more traditionally, peacocks, jugs, chairs and tables, hunting scenes, fleets of ships, battle scenes, and more recently all sorts of animals including giraffes, teddy bears, trains, and even Disney characters. 1 These days, topiary appears in all sorts of forms. Yi-Fu Tuan reports that a couple of California residents even created topiary hedges in the form of male sex organs, much to the dismay of their neighbors! 2 Ethical Considerations Before embarking on an aesthetic critique and potential justification [End Page 128] of topiary, we would like to engage with some ethical concerns. There are three broad areas where concerns about topiary as a manipulation of nature could arise. Harming living things, harming ourselves, and unfortunate cultural resonances. The first question we might ask is, does topiary harm the tree? The image of a living thing that has been contorted from its natural form or constrained can prompt feelings of disquiet in the observer about how it is for the tree.

The idea that it somehow hurts the tree—that the tree is in pain—can be discounted, but there could still be a realistic concept of harm that is harder to set aside. The tree cannot feel pain because it has no central nervous system—when we attribute pain to the tree we are expressing sympathy not empathy—we imagine what it would be like for us to be held in that way, to be constricted in our movements and forced to bend to another's will. However, if we do empathize with the tree—if we base our perception on how it is for a tree to be shaped—the picture is less clear. While there is not, in Thomas Nagel's terminology, "something that it is like to be a tree" 3 and a tree is not, in Tom Regan's terminology, "the subject of a life," 4 it is still a living thing and as such is goal directed. For the tree there can be no subjective experiencing of being topiaried or having a goal thwarted. The remaining ethical problem is whether it is permissible to hinder a tree's goal.

We could just invoke a guilt by association move and claim that if topiary is ethically wrong then so is hedging, uprooting ash seedlings between paving stones, and even treating fungal infections, to show that this leads to absurd consequences. However, a critic could still claim that topiary for no purpose other than ornamentation is a separate issue. The only conflicting interest in the topiary case that prevents the tree reaching its goal is the whim of the topiarist and whims should not override the goal directed behavior of living things. The remaining defense here is to point out that a plant's goal-directed behavior is towards thriving; its various systems are geared towards providing its needs and the intervention of pruning and shaping works alongside these needs. A tree will always be shaped to a certain extent by its environment: the nutrients available, the prevailing wind and so on. Admittedly, it takes human intervention to shape it as a cube, but it can still thrive in that environment. The topiarist's concern is not just for a tree that looks like a cube, but one that is still a living, thriving tree.

The resulting tree no longer looks like one of its species as depicted in a field guide, but then neither would one that germinated next to a wall or under dense [End Page 129] tree cover. In managing the environment so that the tree thrives the topiarist has an important goal of the tree at heart. A second area of ethical concern is about what effect topiary might have on us as moral beings. This could take two forms: intervening with living things in this way somehow desensitizes us to the harming of other organisms who may be subjects of a life and/or it makes us look at nature as something to be managed always for our own benefit. As established above, pruning does not hurt a tree, but perhaps overriding the feeling that it does and going ahead with it or admiring its products somehow makes us insensitive to hurting animals. This claim is a little like Kant's injunction not to be cruel to animals so as to develop the right sensibilities towards humans, 5 except that in this case we are treating something that cannot feel pain as if it could in order to train ourselves to not mistreat organisms that do feel pain.

Kant's idea could lead to the right action even if it was for the wrong reasons, although he has been criticized for making this claim with no psychological evidence. However, in the plant/human version it seems completely unreasonable. Understanding the distinction between organisms that are the subjects of a life, who know their interests and experience pain, and ones that do not is an essential part of knowing how to behave towards both. Clouding the issue with anthropomorphisms does not help us to discover their distinctive needs or treat them well. Pruning a tree into a pyramid and docking a puppy's tail are both done for appearances; the important distinction to be made is that the puppy is hurt by the action. Even though we do not learn to treat one thing well by misapplying our sensibilities to something else, the things we see and learn to enjoy could shape our view of the world such that we cannot appreciate different experiences. In this case the person committed to topiary as an art form in the context of gardening cannot help but see natural environments as 'hopelessly messy' and 'in need of a good prune.' As long as they are not let loose perhaps this is not a problem.

However, increasingly the appreciation of wild nature is seen as morally improving and the human desire to manage and organize nature as a defect of character. A topiary garden as a symbol of human control could thus be seen as emblematic of our errors that have brought about environmental degradation. To want to maintain and continue such practices is surely wrong. Again, this claim rests on an assumption that people do not make informed distinctions. The person who appreciates a fine example of topiary might be equally [End Page 130] able to identify and appreciate a flourishing natural ecosystem. Admittedly there is a tendency to focus on the things that interest us. Anyone who collects firewood will have experienced the tendency to notice dead branches even when walking in the woods for pleasure; our instrumental interests can intrude and so can our particular aesthetic interests. But that tendency does not mean that we are inherently unable to appreciate different things or likely to see all of nature as malleable. Interestingly, today the purpose of topiary is often to create a juxtaposition between the formal structure of the garden and the more informal planting of mixed herbaceous areas.

The juxtaposition enhances the informality of the other planting, so far from creating a strict order, its purpose is to emphasize the mixture of natural forms that are increasingly chosen using ecological principles to establish plant communities. The third area of ethical disquiet, the unfortunate cultural resonances of topiary, is a complex one that will need some detailed explanation; it could be seen as a deeper look into that second realm of harming ourselves. Possibly the first thing that springs to mind with regard to unfortunate cultural resonances is the social order that prevailed in the period of topiary's heyday. For the English garden this could be marked by the establishment of the topiary garden at Levens in the 17th century. The elaborate gardens of the period were only able to be maintained because of the cheapness of the labor. Of course the same criticism is made of elaborate gardens of all styles at least until 1914, when everything changed. The informal herbaceous borders of Gertrude Jekyll, the Victorian love of annual bedding plants, and the passion for exotics, all made gardens labor intensive and a luxury to be enjoyed by the rich out of the labor of the poor.

We could even go further back to the origins of the term topiary in ancient Rome. The topia was the ornamental garden of a villa and the topiarius was the slave entrusted specifically with its care. 6 Criticisms of this kind can, we think, be discounted. Contemporary labor intensive gardens are either managed by reasonably paid gardeners or are the leisure pursuit of their owners or volunteers. In a sense the exploitation of the past is overwritten by contemporary enthusiasm. Also, a criticism of topiary on this basis would entail a criticism of many revered architectural feats, such as those in Venice. However, there is a more taxing problem, and it is one that connects to the previous problem of how ordered nature could shape our perceptions. [End Page 131] To explain this we need a somewhat more detailed examination of historical currents. Positioning topiary within a particular worldview, we could see it as emblematic of a particular approach to nature. To see this clearly we need to move beyond topiary itself to the landscape design of Italian Renaissance villas.

The kind of design principles that dictated the way villas were sited within the topography and the layout of the gardens were developed from an idea of art revealing the hidden order in nature. Far from a simple binary opposition of chaotic nature and human endeavors imposing an order upon the chaos of matter, the idea was to bring out the inherent order that was there, but hidden from our view. And the order of nature thus revealed was geometrical. The genesis of the Renaissance designers' ideas was Plotinus (c.205-270) who saw human reason as the means by which we can both see the reality of nature hidden under the appearance of things and mold it to bring it into a more apparent harmony. In the 15th century this idea of the mathematical interpretation of nature became an artistic concept. The key idea within this was the proportions of the human body as the most perfect embodiment of the harmonies of the universe. 7 So not only was nature to be understood mathematically, that is, through a human construct, but design should use the proportions of the human body as the most perfect expression of that mathematical order. This staggering expression of hubris sits rather uncomfortably with the contemporary consciousness of human destruction of the natural world.

Our claim here is that the unfortunate cultural resonances run symbolically deeper than reflections on the working conditions of the gardeners. It places topiary as quintessentially about human control. This was human control to make the tree not just as we would have liked it to be, but as we thought it should be. The design of the garden and the treatment of plants within it could be seen, and certainly were seen, as a project to return nature to its condition before the fall. We are not suggesting that these historical ideas are foremost in the consciousness of people enjoying topiary, even topiary in an accurate reconstruction of the period, but these gardens were created in part to tell us about who we are and the position of the human being in the order of nature. If they worked at the time they surely have some subtle effect on us now. Perhaps we are sensitive to the message behind the medium even when it is transformed and overlaid with later cultural resonances. Although we have fully addressed some of the ethical qualms about [End Page 132] this type of manipulation of living trees, the disquieting thought remains that we could be influenced by an unhealthy notion of our role in the 'perfection' of nature.

We would of course be talking about rather subtle influences here and the public understanding of these trends and influences should never be underestimated. For many, the historical dimension of garden design, the stories that these features tell, are well known and understood as historical—we enjoy the forms and wonder at the hubris in the same glance. However, in moving to questions of the aesthetic appreciation of topiary we propose that it is necessary to carry forward that disquieting thought and use it as a factor in making judgments about the nature of the aesthetic appreciation and about good and bad topiary. Aesthetic Considerations The shaping and appreciation of topiary presents an interesting problem for aesthetics in the environment. As a gardening practice, topiary brings together both artifice and natural processes, and in many forms of topiary, especially representational forms, human artistic intentions and ideas are strongly imposed onto nature. The synthesis of independent components, artificial and natural, makes aesthetic appreciation of topiary quite distinctive, like other kinds of phenomena that lie between nature and art. 8 However, while some people may be captivated and charmed by trees formed into squirrels and top hats, the aesthetic reaction of others may involve a mixture of pleasure and uneasiness.

Mara Miller captures one dimension of the problem when she objects to the "disregard for the plant materials evidenced . . . in the geometric shapes forced upon plants in formal gardens and topiary, where the natural shapes of the vegetation are destroyed to suit the designer's conception, rather than exploited in a dynamic interaction between plan and plant." 9 All of this suggests a set of aesthetic problems connected to potential types of conflict that arise between art and nature or humans and nature through acts of forming and appreciating topiary. It is possible, we shall argue, that some topiary expresses a positive, dynamic interrelationship between humans and nature. Donald Crawford has discussed the very interesting concept of the dialectical relationship between art and nature, where two potentially conflicting forces resolve themselves into a third form that represents a more harmonious relationship. 10 Crawford puts it this way: [End Page 133] in a dialectical relationship the two elements of the relationship are conflicting forces whose interaction brings into being some third object—the product of their interaction. The emergent third object may become a new object of aesthetic appreciation, one which results from the synthesis of opposing forces, artifactual and natural.

11 Topiary and other phenomena like it, for example, some types of Japanese gardens, bonsai, turf works and other kinds of living sculpture, and some environmental artworks, may present a dialectical relationship between art and nature. 12 Applying Crawford's concept to topiary, the dialectical relationship may be said to exist between the tree and the topiarist as sculptor. The relationship, which is not so much one of conflict as a difference between a natural process and an act of artifice, potentially resolves itself through a dynamic interaction between gardener and tree. Before explaining how this might work, we need to look at cases where a relationship of negative conflict exists. aesthetic affronts to nature As we have argued, topiary is not necessarily ethically harmful either to nature or to ourselves, but it is important to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate aesthetic approaches to topiary. Several writers in environmental aesthetics have sought to capture inappropriate aesthetic treatment of nature. 13 Allen Carlson offers a particularly helpful idea for our purposes in his discussion of an 'aesthetic affront' to nature. 14 An aesthetic affront occurs when an aesthetic imposition or indignity is made upon nature.

These offenses are aesthetic rather than moral because they are "generated by the aesthetic qualities of the object, rather than by, for example, its social, moral, ecological, or other such qualities." 15 Carlson is concerned in particular with aesthetic affronts caused by some works of environmental art. For example, works of environmental art by Michael Heizer alter the landscape by cutting grand forms into it, thereby forcibly imposing human actions onto nature. 16 Not all environmental art is open to this type of criticism. The nature of the artwork itself, its sensitivity to its natural/environmental setting or site, as well as the intentions of the artist, may all be factors that determine whether or not it is an aesthetic affront. 17 There is a sense in which topiary imposes its artifactuality on nature (and also a sense in which it can be a type of environmental art—a question that we have to set aside for now). But it is not the case that every imposition of artifactuality onto nature will cause an aesthetic affront. As [End Page 134] we have suggested, topiary is potentially a form of gardening that works dynamically with nature, moving closer to it, rather than away from it and against it.

Also, in the garden, topiary works within a particular context where artifactuality is already present in our actions in relation to that type of environment. However, there remain some topiary practices that could be seen to cause an aesthetic affront. One problematic practice lies in the particular shapes and forms that the gardener fashions. Some representational topiary, such as topiary animals, set out to imitate animal and other shapes, which in many cases manipulate nature for the sole purpose of entertaining humans. These forms are much further away from nature's own forms than some abstract topiary, such as clouds and imperfect, less severe shapes. The aim of some representational topiary is not to work dynamically with nature's forms, or to draw attention to them, but rather to point beyond nature to a human-centered world. 18 Although representation is a common aim in art, gardens constitute a practice that involves working directly with nature. Some garden practices, such as picturesque gardens, place value on nature only insofar as it meets a standard of art, but others do not, and may adopt an appropriate attitude toward nature in terms of the aesthetic choices made by the gardener.

In our view, most representational topiary does not encourage such an attitude, and instead, constitutes the imposition of a human view onto nature through aesthetic means. trivializing nature The humanizing tendency of some representational topiary leads to a falsification of nature. Ronald Hepburn has offered some interesting ideas on this, pointing to a trivializing approach as one that "distorts, ignores, suppresses truth about [nature's] . . . objects, feels and thinks about them in ways that falsify how nature really is." 19 Although his examples are directed at more natural environments rather than gardens, we can apply his ideas here to address the relationship between nature and humans in the garden. There are different ways in which trivializing might occur, and understanding them helps to identify the problem with representational topiary.

sentimentalizing nature Hepburn argues that sentimentalizing nature falsifies nature because [End Page 135] it "falsely posits human feelings and human attitudes in the non-human—or more likely posits failed human life and human attitudes instead of successfully attained non-human life." 20 Anthropomorphism is usually discussed in the context of projecting human ways of being—emotions, experiences—onto other living species, mainly other mammals, but it has an interesting application to representational topiary. We are made to see a natural organism as another form, a thing that it is not, by projecting another form onto it. This sentimentalizing takes place also when we take a too limited or narrow view of nature, and may take the form of appreciating nature only from one point of view or by misperceiving it altogether. Fantastic representational topiary is a case of this because it fails to capture the natural aspect of the tree in any appropriate sense, that is, in a way that is responsive to the tree as a growing, thriving thing. It imposes one way, a fanciful human way, of conceiving of a tree.

(This is not to deny that nature can be fanciful in at least a metaphorical sense; but then nature does not impose its 'fancifulness' on other things.) Not all anthropomorphic responses are bad, but we need to be critically aware when we respond in this way to nature. Gardens are cultural landscapes, a sort of quasi-nature, insofar as they involve intentionality, but some representational topiary goes too far, leaving the tree behind, as it were. It is much further away from the truth of the tree than other forms of topiary. In a sense we could say that in the way that anthropomorphizing tries to make non-human living things into human kinds of things, some representational topiary tries to make trees into art. But the aim of topiary ought to be to bring out the interrelationship between humans and nature, not to simply create an artefact on the one hand, or allow nature to take its own course, on the other. Making topiary into an artefact commits a category mistake in the garden setting. The category of kitsch arises too in the context of representational topiary.

Kitsch has been defined as two opposing or very unlike things or qualities brought together in a single medium. It has also been criticized by Gordon Bearn, "for being too easy, for being too formulaic, and for being a lie." 21 Objects we may be inclined to call kitsch, "Muzak, Eiffel tower pepper grinders, ice cubes shaped like breasts" and so on, may be enjoyed by some, but in art criticism, kitsch is usually defined as a negative aesthetic category, and in bad taste. 22 Examples of kitsch topiary might be Disney characters or trains, where a tree is made into something entirely different from itself, and where two mediums come together inappropriately, [End Page 136] causing a deep aesthetic conflict. This conflict arises because the topiarist ignores the natural qualities of the tree and simply uses it as sculpting material, rather than trying to work with the tree and respond to it as a natural entity in the aesthetic choices that are made. Working toward rather than against positive interaction between topiarist and tree may have important implications for appreciation.

Aesthetically good topiary enables the viewer to see and appreciate the tree and its own qualities, in contrast to bad topiary which negates or hides them. Imagination and Whimsy In appreciating gardens, we understand the role of human creativity in them, and we appreciate it as part of the complexity of their value. Along with this comes the valuing of imagination in the garden. Imagination most often shows itself in garden design, for example, how gardeners seek to evoke imagination through 'invitation', in the way they design paths, prospects, and by presenting us with phenomena and designs to explore through imagination and the senses. 23 Topiarists also use imagination as they prune and sculpt trees. Representational topiary represents a strong use of imagination in so far as it tries to get us to see a tree as a train, a squirrel, or whatever. Imagination can, however, overstep its limits. In the context of the artworld, we encourage creative imagination to spread its wings, but when humans are working more directly with nature, as in environmental art or gardens, imagination ought to be directed in ways that work positively with nature's forms.

Whimsy is an aesthetic category which points to qualities of playfulness, joy, and humor. This quality can be found in art works but also in gardens, and especially in topiary. Whimsical qualities are not necessarily objectionable, but overly whimsical representational topiary overly humanizes nature, making gardens into theme parks, and upsetting the harmony that gardens create between humans and nature. Topiary squirrels and trains are too whimsical. They are in bad taste, and as such they also constitute a kind of aesthetic disrespect for nature. There may, however, be cases of abstract topiary that are whimsical without being in bad taste. Here, we have in mind a particular bush at Levens, a small, abstract dome shape with a short, delicate trunk growing up, topped by a tiny ball of leaves. 24 The gardener at Levens improvised the tiny ball shape from the trunk that kept growing up. Rather than cut it off, he responded to the [End Page 137] pattern of growth and shaped a second element on the top of the bush.

The dome shape alone would be a typical abstract topiary bush, but with the addition of the tiny ball on top, the effect is light and playful. Topiary and a Positive Relationship between Humans and Nature Now we would like to bring some of these criticisms together to help us to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful topiary within the aesthetic context of topiary practice and appreciation. This is not an easy distinction to make. First, it helps to experience the cases we discuss first-hand, or at least to view a picture of each in order to understand why they may be in good or bad taste. Second, the distinctions are not always clear-cut, and not all cases are straightforwardly categorized as problematic or unproblematic. The best course is a case-by-case approach, but we also try to show how, generally, abstract topiary is less objectionable on aesthetic grounds. Problematic representational topiary includes cases where the aesthetic aims and actions of the topiarist create a human imposition on nature or trivialize nature. These are frivolous pieces that move in only one direction in respect of the relationship between humans and nature.

Trains, Disney characters, teddy bears and such-like, move toward artifactuality and intentionality rather than revealing or encouraging an interrelationship between topiarist and natural processes. Some topiary that falls into a gray area between the abstract and the representational may constitute successful cases, especially cases of imperfect forms. Here we have in mind the 'judge's wig' topiary and the 'top hat' topiary from Levens Hall. These are traditional topiary forms in which one can identify a representational shape, but they are abstract enough to express more of the tree's shape than other more explicitly representational forms. Within the category of abstract topiary, we find objectionable attempts to impose onto nature aesthetic qualities found in perfect geometrical forms rather than to work more with nature in an interplay that expresses a dynamic relationship. Examples of problematic abstract topiary include the rigid symmetrical forms of conventional topiary such as pyramids, cubes, and so on, commonly found in formal gardens. Successful abstract topiary is wide-ranging, and it is typified by the topiarist working with nature's forms, allowing the tree to play a central role, and where the individual improvises upon natural material.

In some cases, these forms have their origins in outgrown geometrical shapes. For example, some of the abstract [End Page 138] topiary trees in the Levens Hall garden, which are very old, have taken on a life of their own. The result is less severe shapes which the gardener responds to in his choices about how to prune these trees. This kind of topiary feels much less contrived and artificial, although it is still a product of the garden. Examples here include: ring topiary, a series of rings or hoops formed by yew branches, one on top of each other, revealing the complex intertwining of branches within the tree; clouds, great abstract masses of privet or yew lying close to the ground and forming various asymmetrical rounded shapes, reminiscent of clouds; perhaps the small Levens' dome with the tiny ball top; and other imperfect or less ordered abstract forms. In respect of abstract topiary, more conventional topiarists might be able to learn from contemporary garden movements, while at the same time maintaining their styles and tradition. Paul Cooper has written a fascinating book about the various forms of 'living scultpure', including the gardens of Pearl Fryar.

25 Fryar taught himself how to sculpt trees and had no previous experience of topiary. His style could be described as inventive but free-form, allowing the existing shape of the tree to direct his work: "Pearl Fryar's topiary has been described as 'botanical sculpture', and his abstract creations certainly bear little resemblance to mainstream work. Sweeping curves, arches, and spirals lend them a dynamism rarely seen in conventional topiary." 26 Indeed, it might be difficult to tell the difference between some of Fryar's topiary and natural trees themselves, if it weren't for the garden setting. We are not saying that good topiary is necessarily topiary that looks like nature. Topiary is a garden practice that involves humans shaping and modifying nature in explicit ways. However, it is possible to create topiary that is in good taste in so far as it seeks to express some distinctive qualities of natural forms. The Aesthetics of Imperfection We would like to conclude by suggesting a useful way to approach topiary as an aesthetic category.

The aesthetics of topiary could be articulated as an 'aesthetics of imperfection', where imperfection is viewed as a positive aesthetic quality. This category has been used to describe the Japanese aesthetic taste for imperfection, humbleness, and natural forces, such as weathering and organic qualities, as opposed to showiness and flashiness. 27 Another take on the aesthetics of imperfection has been put forward [End Page 139] in the context of jazz music. 28 Here, imperfection is associated with the freedom, creativity, and verve of improvisation. Most jazz improvisation works with a standard jazz tune, and plays freely with it to bring out its qualities and form. In the context of topiary, we might consider it as an 'art' of imperfection, where humans work with trees to create an object or environment that is expressive of something more dynamic, a creative relationship between culture and nature. Our favorite ring topiary yew tree at Levens Hall illustrates this type of aesthetic.

The head gardener, who regularly prunes and sculpts this tree, works with its natural form, improvising with nature's shapes, while his work is still directed very much by the organic processes of the tree as it continues to grow. The tree is two- or three-hundred years old, and it leans over from the weight of its age. The gardener works with this shape rather than seeking to correct it or force it into a more perfect form. As we see it, the best trajectory for traditional topiary practice would be to evolve by moving closer to nature, that is, to work more with natural processes rather than too harshly imposing human order or human ideas onto it. 29 Isis Brook teaches in the area of phenomenology and place and also has research interests in Goethean science and landscape aesthetics. She is Lecturer in Philosophy at Lancaster University in England, and Director of the University's distance program in Values and the Environment. Email: i.brook@lancaster.ac.uk Emily Brady is Lecturer in Philosophy at Lancaster University in England, Docent in Aesthetics at the University of Helsinki, and a researcher in the Finnish Academy. Her research interests include aesthetics, ethics, and environmental philosophy.

She has co-edited the collection, Aesthetic Concepts: Essays After Sibley (Oxford University Press, 2001), and her book, Aesthetics of the Natural Environment, was published in 2003 by Edinburgh University Press. Email: e.brady@lancaster.ac.uk Endnotes 1 . Probably the most famous collection of animal topiary can be found at Green Animals Topiary Garden in Rhode Island. This garden, begun in the 18th century by Thomas Brayton, has over eighty topiary animals. 2 . Yi Fu Tuan, Dominance and Affection: The Making of Pets (London and New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984), 60. 3 . Thomas Nagel, "What is it Like to be a Bat?" Philosophical Review, vol. LXXXIII. 4 . Tom Regan, "The Case for Animal Rights." In R. Baird and S. Rosenbaum, eds., Animal Experimentation (London: Prometheus Books, 1991). 5 . Immanuel Kant, Lectures on Ethics(1780-1) trans. H.

Infield (London: Harper and Row, 1963 ed.), 239-40. 6 . A.M. Clevely, Topiary (London: Collins, 1988), 11. 7 . C. Steenbergen and W. Reh, Architecture and Landscape (Bussum: THOTH, 1996). 8 . See Allen Carlson's engaging discussion of aesthetic appreciation of phenomena between nature and art in Aesthetics and the Environment: The Appreciation of Nature, Art and Architecture (London and New York: Routledge, 2000). 9 . Mara Miller, The Garden as an Art (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1993), 85. 10 . D.W. Crawford, "Nature and Art: Some Dialectical Relationships," Journal of Aesthetics and ArtCriticism (42):1983. [End Page 140] 11 . D.W. Crawford, "Comparing Natural and Artistic Beauty," In Salim Kemal and Ivan Gaskell, eds.

Landscape, Natural Beauty and the Arts (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 194. 12 . This has been suggested by Carlson, applying Crawford's idea, in Carlson, 2000, 164-74. 13 . See Carlson, 2000; Stan Godlovitch, "Offending Against Nature," Environmental Values (7):1998; R.W. Hepburn, "Trivial and Serious in Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature," Landscape, Natural Beauty and the Arts (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993) and reprinted in The Reach of the Aesthetic:Collected Essays on Art and Nature (Aldershot and Burlington: Ashgate, 2001); and Yuriko Saito, "Appreciating Nature on its Own Terms," Environmental Ethics (20) Summer 1998. 14 . Allen Carlson, "Is Environmental Art an Aesthetic Affront to Nature?" Canadian Journal of Philosophy 16 (1986): 637; reprinted in Carlson, 2000.

Carlson follows Crawford's use of the concept in "Nature and Art: Some Dialectical Relationships." Topiary Topiary What is topiary? Topiary is simply the art or practice of trimming and shaping plants into ornamental shapes. The shapes can be any object or geometric shape one can think of. History tells us that Pliny the younger (AD 62-110) described his villa in Tuscany as being embellished with various figures and adorned with animals out of boxwood. So topiary has been around for nearly 2000 years. Its still popular in mansions as well as in the home garden. The term topiary today can mean a large specimen, such as a garden giraffe or a small tabletop centerpiece, but its always related to shaped plants. Here are some of the most popular uses for topiary today. GARDEN TOPIARY Topiary is found in a wide variety of home gardens as well as commercial establishments. Formal gardens will often include pyramids or arches, maybe even cones or teardrops with little birds pruned on top.

Whimsical topiary shapes such as animals or birds or even trains and airplanes may grace a park or zoo, or accent one’s garden, bringing pleasure to all who visit. Topiary children may dance through a cottage garden and topiary dolphins look natural near the swimming pool. Topiary bunnies may welcome visitors by the front door, or human shapes ‘help’ in the garden. A scene of topiary ducks with a mother and her ducklings brings a smile to anyone’s face. Commercial gardens enjoy using garden topiary to delight their visitors, as Cypress Gardens did a few years ago with a huge topiary exhibit with over 75 large frames, including a moving carousel of topiary animals. Elli’s Great American Restaurant in Salinas California has a topiary Statue of Liberty in its front garden. Topiary is so versatile it can be at home in any garden. Its sure to be around for another 2000 years! TOPIARY FOR CONTAINERS Container gardening has become especially popular in the last few years and topiary for containers is a natural fit. Picture a duck or goose in a ‘nest’ of grasses.

Or a tall ivy cone graced with impatience around the base with trailing ivy between the flowers. A grouping of containers with a large quail topiary surrounded by smaller quail would make a nice patio vignette. Two ivy standards flanking a door way in victorian urns would enhance an entrance. Container grown topiary has the advantage of being able to be moved around the garden as desired, it serves as a focal point and can be adorned around the base with flowers or grasses to accentuate the topiary. TABLETOP TOPIARY Another kind of topiary that is very popular is the table top topiary, most often done in ivy, but also found in herbs such as rosemary. Wreaths, hearts, cones, spirals, standards, double standards and many geometric shapes have all found their way to the table as a centerpiece, often decorated with seasonal decorations. With over 500 varieties of ivy to choose from, the possibilities for many different looks are endless. Many of these shapes are instant if one starts with a long ivy.

A simple 13” ivy topiary wreath can be made with an ivy that has 18” runners in 10 mintues and they become more beautiful as they grow. The tabletop topiary is very popular for weddings and parties as it makes a pretty and appropriate centerpiece. Its also easy to tie a topiary in to a theme: hearts and flowers for weddings and anniversaries, wreaths and ivy trees for Christmas, custom topiary fish for a fisherman’s birthday, you get the picture! BASKET TOPIARY Martha Stewart Living magazine featured topiary baskets a few years ago that were shaped like different animals and decorated for Easter. Ducks, bunnies, roosters, goats and deer all became topiary baskets that held flowers or colored eggs. Ivy baskets can hold champagne or flowers and make unique gifts. So topiary can be used as an accent in the garden or as a statement. It can serve a formal garden with repetition of geometric cones or spirals, or be at home in a cottage garden with whimsical animals. It fits commercial gardens with large exhibits or single specimens.

And tabletop topiaries are widely used for adorning the home or party centerpieces. And with ready made topiary frames, the whole process has become user friendly and likely to keep growing in popularity. Copyright ï¿½ 2002 Cliff Finch's Zoo Contact us at (559) 822-2315, 9:30am - 3:00pm PDT, Wed-Sat, or info@topiaryzoo.com Boxwood Topiary Trees - Foter Boxwood Topiary Trees Perfect for indoors and outdoors alike, boxwood topiary trees are such a cute way of adding greenery to your space. Whether it’s larger pieces that frame your entrance or smaller plants to put on your mantelpiece in a terracotta pot, boxwood always brings a great deal of freshness and visual interest into your home décor. Ideas By Sarah Ashley Beauchamp Triple Ball Shaped Boxwood Topiary in Pot Beautiful contemporary artificial plant stylised in a boxwood. It's quite realistic and tall. A stem and twigs are of brownish plastic but 3 'balls' of green leaves are of silk. A cylindrical pot is of black plastic.

Found by SuperOliviaJackson+2 Boxwood Round Tapered Topiary in Planter This is decorative, decorative tree, which looks very nice both in the living room, as well as in any other place. Of course, the tree is the perfect solution for those who do not always remember about watering your plants, but want a little green at home. Found by AllenAlicia+4 Thrifty Inspiration: DIY Boxwood Topiaries — Free Printable Coupons | Money Saving Madness Found by ClarkMarissa+1 ahhhh spiral topiary! my front doors will look exactly like this one of these days. ahhh and the black shutters!!, can this be any more perfect?!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Found by WilsonGabrielle+236 We’ve been working on a little something in the kitchen. If you’re on Instagram you may have seen what it is. But, while that project won’t be ready to share until Monday, I thought it would be fun to whip up a little faux greenery for the space i Found by VanessaMartinez74+263 Dior. Stunning topiary bay laurel and white geraniums. Great combo and great location.

Found by LambertAbbey+282 ballard designs inspired diy topiaries Found by CarmenKowalski+258 This small garden Mediterranean planting scheme includes Olive trees, boxwood topiary balls, myrtle, white hydrangeas and rosemary...Full details on Modern Country Style blog: Leopoldina Haynes' Small Garden Found by AlexisHallify+5 Entry to Aerin Lauder's Hamptons house via Quintessence Found by ErinPerr+13 Boxwood Topiary - Topiaries - Artificial Topiary - Planters - Topiary Trees - Boxwood | Found by AlomaGarcia+218 These glass containers were made from candle holders and vases found at the dollar store! Brilliant! Found by MiaCasta1+124 How to Make Boxwood Christmas Topiaries Found by MackenzieMilani+32 Pneumatic Addict Furniture: DIY Boxwood Topiary. Need to make a pair of these for the front door. Found by VictoriaWashington+3 How To Grow Box Grow In Pots Found by JacksonMelissa+4 Beautiful Boxwood topiary tree decorated with lemons and roses, Washington D.C.

floral designer Allan Woods, courtesy of Southern Accents Found by MultiKateAnderson+117 How-To Floral & Lifestyle Blog by Expert Julie Mulligan Found by AmberRodriguez+211 Topiary inspiration! For more ideas or to buy click here. Found by ZernikeLaetitia+3 Love this composition: variegated spiral, corner boxwood &#34;column&#34;, 3 tier topiary, tall dark evergreen on the corner, delicate white blooms in the center. Many different elements in a tiny harmonious arrangement. Found by AmandaThomson100+3 The same is true of the clipped edges of these topiary balls. The hydrangeas are the Grace Kelly to their Fred Astaire. Separate: lovely. Together: perfection. . Modern Country Style: Hydrangeas, Topiary And Boxwood In The Modern Country Garden Click thro Found by LaurenMartinezify+3 I like this "Groomed for Success" garden area as the boxwoods keep the garden looking good year around. Found by StephanieFlo+205 "The art of topiary, practiced by landscapers and gardeners for thousands of years, is truly timeless.

We've chosen English ivy to create our elegant ball-and-stem topiary sculptures, prized for its longevity and the beauty of its deep-green leaves." Take Found by KathrynSmit+167 It's important to give importance to a front door as has been done here with those lollipop standards in terracotta pots. Found by JillianKel+295 Boxwood Tree Preserved 16" $31 16" tall 7" wide natural preserved boxwood, clay pot, natural burlap wrap and ribbon tie Found by ClarkMarissa+3 Greet Winter in Good Form | Try evergreen English ivy topiaries for a classic look that thrives indoors or out. | Found by PattersonValerie+270 The Secrets to Being the Most Gorgeous House on the Block: Our Editor-at-Large, Estee Stanley, shares three surefire ways to add style to your home's exterior.

Found by SuperAliceMartinez+172 Tone on Tone: My Myrtle Topiaries in Southern Living Found by JohnsonTara+4 Flank your front door with matching pots like this Chippendale planter ($57, each) with boxwoods #hgtvmagazine Found by aaliyahthomas1+177 black front door glossy boxwood topiaries plants potted charcoal gray ceramic planters Bienvenue doormat Found by DaniellePrice+85 wow Found by AlyssaCole100+5 Frame your entrance with a pair of our artificial Privet Trees. Elegant, classy and maintenance free.. Found by Lucy1Reid+2 Triple Ball Boxwoods make an elegant addition to an entrance. Try our artificial versions.... Found by CooperCourtney+3 Perfectly lined aisle.

Photography by Found by AnnaJoh+155 Topiary, parterres of euphorbia scrubland, Myosotis, thoughts and tulips, formal garden Orangerie du Parc de Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, photo Alain Delavie Found by VanessaDavis+19 The House That Lars Built.: Gunillaberg, Sweden Part 1 Found by JasmineRoss+5 Make Your Own Topiary-Many types of plants are well-suited to shaping, including the herb rosemary shown here, as well as hollies, ivies, and boxwood. Or try flowering plants such as lantana, fuchsia, and hydrangeas. Found by CarmenKowalski+5 TIME TO DECORATE- Myrtle Topiaries | Mark D. Sikes: Chic People, Glamorous Places, Stylish Things Found by JuliaLambertify+5 Acquired Objects: Boxwood: Trim or not to Trim Found by JasmineRuss+4 Containers Flowers Gardens | garden was a surprise after the more cottagey feel of the front garden ... Found by SuperOliviaJackson+2 Weird but kind of wonderful.

Phillipe Perdereau | Focus on garden - Fine Photography Found by 1BanksKate+1 Reminiscent of Roman times; natural boxwood topiary trees lend a romantic feel to doorways and walkways. Found by LauraMitchell+4 topiary Template Found by carolinepatterson1+1 Myrtles make a nice vertical element for an indoor house plant. (If you are a scissor-sassy fuss-budget, this would be an advantage.) Found by CravenZoe+292 I used the tutorial on her site to turn the dead potted orchid on my windowsill into a cute topiary with $1.50 in fake ferns from hobby lobby :o) Found by MeganCox+69 Gorgeous! How to Make a Topiary via @two_twenty_one #DIY Found by ElizabethCoupe+30 Love the combination of Boxwood & white Birch Found by KristinCam+4 lush green grass, grey brick edging around garden beds, box hedges & espalier trees on panelled privacy screens. Peacefull Found by ParkerJoanna+4 boxwoods in pots. Love this for porch!!

Found by JennaHay+47 Holiday Sales for Outdoor Topiary Trees at Hayneedle Dimensions: 13.5 diam. x 45H in.. Constructed from resin &amp; plastic. Easy to hang design. Accented with purple flowers and yell...ow grass. Good for indoor or covered outdoor use. No pruning or trimming necessary to maintain the beautiful shape of the National Tree Company 3.75 ft. Spring Topiary Silk Tree. This elegant artificial topiary is grounded in an ornate urn and features two different-sized spheres and a foliage-filled base. Lushly crafted with life-like green leaves, yellow ornamental grass, and assorted purple flowers, this timeless topiary is suited for both indoor and covered outdoor use, making it a perfect accent to a porch, patio, or sunroom. read more at Hayneedle Dimensions: 10 diam. x 16H in.. Modeled after a colorful topiary tree. Includes a decorative urn pot. Accented with berries and po...llen. Requires no maintenance. Good for indoor or covered outdoor use. Beautifully woven green mossy stems and vines create the spherical shape of the National Tree Company Topiary Table Top Silk Plant.

Dotted with yellow, white, blue, and pink flowers, and yellow and white berries, this topiary boasts a sprinkling of yellow pollen for a more authentic look. A decorative urn base lends the perfect finishing touch to this topiary that can be displayed in both indoor and covered outdoor areas. read more at Hayneedle Pyramid-shaped cedar tree. Includes matching, non-decorative pot. 1,000 leaf tips. Designed for indoor or outdoor use. Dimensions:... 20 diam. x 48H inches. With 1 000 detailed leaf tips the Cedar Tree Silk Topiary makes you look like a seasoned gardener. Its gentle lush greenery lasts all year long with no maintenance and can be placed indoors or out.About Nearly Natural Inc.For over 75 years Nearly Natural Inc. has been providing conscientious consumers with beautiful alternatives to natural decorations. Employing and advised by naturalists who understand the live plant world Nearly Natural is able to recreate the most realistic-looking decorative items for homes offices and businesses. Driven by a true commitment to customer service attention to detail and natural philosophy Nearly Natural strives to bring customers the most beautiful unique and striking faux fauna and flora on the market.

read more at Hayneedle Sophisticated double-ball pattern. Minimalist pot included. 2,080 leaves and 78 buds. Designed for indoor use. Dimensions: 20 diam.... x 60H inches. Enjoy the beauty and warmth of the outdoors without any of the complicated work when you add the Mini Rose Topiary Silk Tree to your indoors. Great for rose-enthusiasts or garden lovers this silk piece is an elegant addition to both classic and modern decors.About Nearly Natural Inc.For over 75 years Nearly Natural Inc. has been providing conscientious consumers with beautiful alternatives to natural decorations. Employing and advised by naturalists who understand the live plant world Nearly Natural is able to recreate the most realistic-looking decorative items for homes offices and businesses. Driven by a true commitment to customer service attention to detail and natural philosophy Nearly Natural strives to bring customers the most beautiful unique and striking faux fauna and flora on the market. read more at Groupon Enhance your home with a wonderful, lush Pure Garden 5' Hedyotis Topiary Tree. This lovely artificial hedyotis topiary tree will s...tay green and verdant year-round.

The Pure Garden 5' Hedyotis Topiary Tree is a realistic replica that can be used indoors or outdoors to add an updated, natural touch to your home decor. Product Features: Light and Mobile Design Over 1000 Leaves Indoor/Outdoor Natural Trunk PVC Leaves Variegated 7.5 inch Pot Dimensions: 15 inches (L) x 15 inches (W) x 60 inches (H)Enhances any room in your house Pure Garden Artificial Trees - A life-like replication of the actual tree Size: Large. Color: Gender: Unisex. Age Group: Adult. read more at Groupon Enhance your home with Pure Garden Two Topiary, Two Hedyotis Single Ball Trees. This wonderful full bodied Pure Garden Single Two ...Topiary, Two Hedyotis Single Ball Trees keeps its colors when all the rest lose their color and leaves. You can always look forward to a the rich green tones of the Pure Garden Two Topiary, Two Hedyotis Single Ball Trees Tree in your home. If you are looking for a High quality artificial tree to make a bold statement in your home this is it.

Product Features: Light and Mobile Design Over 900 Leaves Indoor/Outdoor Natural Trunk UV Resistant Rubber Leaves7 inch Pot Dimensions: 24 inches x 17 inches x 17 inches Enhances any room in your house Pure Garden Artificial Trees - A life-like replication of the actual tree Size: Large. Color: Green/Light. Gender: Unisex. Age Group: Adult. read more at HomeClick Pure GardenEnhance your home with this Set of Two 36 inch Julian Two Topiary Two Mini Cedar Trees . This wonderful full bodied Pur...e Garden Two Topiary Two Mini Cedar Trees keeps its colors when all the rest lose their color and leaves. You can always look forward to a the rich green tones of these Set of Two 36 inch Julian Two Topiary Two Mini Cedar Trees in your home.

If you are looking for a High quality artificial tree to make a bold statement in your home this is it.Light and mobile design Over 400 pine tips Indoor outdoor Rubber trunk Uv resistant rubber leaves 6-1 2" Pot Enhances any room in your houseCountry of Origin: China Height: 11 Length: 36 Width: 11 read more at Amazon About The Product This elegant single ball Bay topiary (Laurus nobilis) with vibrant foliage and natural trunk would make a charmi...ng addition to the home or workplace. Made using the finest materials and the most advanced manufacturing techniques, the blended silk tree is botanically accurate and UV resistant. For optimum realistic presentation the tree will require some branch and foliage shaping. The tree is supplied in a standard plastic pot, so it is ideal for replanting in a pot of your choice. Please note the Portofino planter and river stones shown are for display purposes only and can be purchased separately. Approximate Height 4ft (1.2m) Topiary has Limited Outdoor Use This topiary can be placed outside; however, it will need to be located in a relatively sheltered area.

This area must protect the topiary from extreme weather conditions such as strong winds and frost as persistent exposure could lead to damage. In addition to being relatively sheltered, the area must also be well ventilated, allowing the topiary to dry out should it get wet. About Closer to Nature We offer a range of superior artificial trees, plants, flowers, topiaries, fruit, plug plants and hanging basket displays. In addition to the floral and foliage collection, we also offer a variety of planters and accessories for the perfect finishing touch to your home and garden. Our range has been expertly crafted to the highest level of botanical accuracy using the finest materials and the most advanced manufacturing techniques. read more at Amazon About The Product This elegant Boxwood ball topiary (Buxus sempervirens) with vibrant foliage would make a charming addition to th...e home or workplace. Made using the finest materials and the most advanced manufacturing techniques, the topiary is botanically accurate and UV resistant. For optimum realistic presentation the topiary will require some foliage shaping. The topiary ball is supplied with a hook making it ideal for hanging. Alternatively it can also be planted in a pot of your choice.

Please note the chain shown in the photo is for display purposes only. Approximate Diameter 29cm (11.5") Topiary for Outdoor Use This topiary has been specifically designed to withstand variable weather conditions. About Closer to Nature We offer a range of superior artificial trees, plants, flowers, topiaries, fruit, plug plants and hanging basket displays. In addition to the floral and foliage collection, we also offer a variety of planters and accessories for the perfect finishing touch to your home and garden. Our range has been expertly crafted to the highest level of botanical accuracy using the finest materials and the most advanced manufacturing techniques. read more

Question: Topiary is practised on what objects?
Answer: Plants