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Topiary is the art of turning ordinary bushes
and hedges into interesting shapes such as cones
or animals. These designs can be as simple as
weaving a spiral design through a tree for an
unusual effect or creating a herd of horses with
ivy. The possibilities are endless.
In Topiary and the Art of Training Plants
by David Joyce, the appeal of creating with plants
is fully explained, including the history of topiary
in a well-designed and informative book. From
simple shapes on stems to elaborately embroidered
parterres (repetitive symmetrical patterns), everything
you always wanted to know about plants as sculpture
is laid out as neatly as a geometric hedge.
Topiary and the Art of Training Plants
is packed full of ideas, inspiration and step-by-step
illustrations. Diagrams showing how to train the
most widely used hedging plants such as hornbeam,
boxwood and yew are easy to read and follow. Instructions
for creating an animal topiary on a wire frame
are also explained. From start to finish, each
page promises something special and unusual for
any garden, large or small.
Reviewed by FIDM R&RC
staff member Cynthia Hayes.
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