7 pointers for sculpting plants into geometric figures, animals and objects

Topiary is the traditional sculpting of plants into geometric figures, animals and objects. You can train plants into desired forms by pruning, or you can grow plants over a wire frame and clip them to follow the shape of the frame. Either way, they make a fantastical addition to any garden.

While some shapes, such as spirals and standards, are quite formal, others are fun and fanciful.

• Use topiary to frame an entry door, line a path or create a garden centrepiece.

The best plants for topiary are evergreen trees, shrubs  and herbs that have strong, woody stems and small, dense leaves and are able to withstand regular pruning.

• In cool climates try yew, privet, boxwood, ivy, Japanese holly, germander and euonymus.
• In warm climates, use yaupon holly, myrtle, bay laurel, pittosporum, rosemary and fig.

Start with a simple shape. A good choice for beginners is a geometric figure, such as an oval or triangle.

• Make a framework by pounding wood or plastic stakes into the ground around a young shrub.
• Form wire mesh into the desired shape around the stakes. As the plant grows, clip any shoots that poke through the mesh.
• Once the shrub has filled the mold, remove the mesh.
• Shear the plant regularly to maintain its shape.

• During the early stages of training, prune back stems primarily to induce branching so the plants fill the form.
• Once the shrub begins filling in, trim lightly but regularly — especially in spring and after flowering — to maintain the plant's fullness and shape.
• The frequency depends on the plant's growth rate and the intricacy of the design.

But don't prune late in the season, because pruning always stimulates new growth, which is easily damaged by cold.

• If you live in a climate where heavy snow or ice is common, protect topiary from snow and ice buildup by erecting a wire mesh shield over the plants.
• Cover the mesh with burlap and brush off any accumulation to keep it from becoming so heavy that it crushes your creation.

• Make small cuts with sharp pruning shears.
• Use guides, such as levels or stakes, even if you have a good eye.
• Trim from the top down and from the centre out, working on all sides of the plant to keep your trimming symmetrical.

Grow a faux flowerpot by planting a hedge around a shrub trained into a tree shape, called a standard.

• Create the standard by removing shoots along the stem and snipping the top into a globe, then stake the stem.
• For the "pot," plant low-growing, mounding shrubs in a ring around the standard. When they're about one third as tall as the standard's stem, clip them into a flowerpot shape.
• Remove the stake from the standard and keep all the plants trimmed.