What is Topiary?
'''Topiary''' is the art of creating [[sculpture]]s by clipping trees and bushes (shrubs). The shrubs used in topiary are evergreen, have small leaves, and produce dense foliage. Common plants used in topiary include [[bay laurel]], [[holly]] bushes, myrtle and privet hedges. Shaped wire cages are sometimes used in modern topiary but traditional topiary depends on using special scissors with patience and a steady hand. Notably, the [[Samban-Lei Sekpil]] is the tallest topiary plant in the world.<ref>http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=53209</ref> [[File:Green_Elephant_in_Kakching_Garden.jpg|thumb|A topiary of a green elephant inside the [[Kakching Garden]] in [[Manipur]]]] ==History== The word derives from the [[Latin]] word for an ornamental landscape gardener. A friend of [[Julius Caesar]] introduced [[Rome]] to the topiary. In [[Japan]] and [[China]] they have “cloud pruning” where they cut bushes into the shapes of clouds and “Karikomi”, where they cut large shrubs into curved shapes and objects. [[Bonsai]] is a form of topiary. During the 16th century in [[Europe]], typical traditional topiary included geometric shapes: balls, pyramids, cones, and spirals. In the 20th century, [[Walt Disney]] used topiaries in the form of his cartoon characters to decorate his theme parks. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Gardening]]