Art and Culture: The Art of Topiary

Hubby and I share a love of visiting houses, castles and gardens, wherever we may be.  I never cease to be amazed by the amount of work, artistic vision and patience that goes into the topiary, whether it be hedges and mazes (like the photo above, taken by hubby a few years back at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire), repeating designs that add structure to a garden, or more individual and intricate designs.


Topiary is a long term commitment that takes years and years of patient clipping and shaping, not to mention the enormous artistic ability of the gardener who can craft such wonderful sculptures from living material!  To this end, I'd like to bring your attention to this article from the BBC News website about a gardener from East Rudham in Norfolk who has sculpted his hedge into a 150ft dragon.  It has taken him thirteen years so far and it really is an amazing piece of topiary.  Even more amazing is the fact that he is now seventy-five years old!  What an incredible thing to do...

Here are some photos taken at Chirk Castle, a medieval fortress near Wrexham, in the Welsh Marches.  There is quite a lot of topiary hedging here, and structural shapes add height, shadow, form and interest to the gardens.

This feels like a scene from 'Tom's Midnight Garden'

Beautifully sculpted and varied topiary walk

Topiary shapes surround the castle...protecting it?

What an amazing place to play Chess!

You can view some incredible topiary art via this link from The Telegraph, and if you would like to know more about the subject and its history, click here to go to the Topiary Organisation's website.

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are, and whatever you're doing!