Want to make a statement feature in your garden? It may take a few years before it is the way you want it or you could buy one off the shelf. What is this awesome feature? The answer is topiary or the art of converting an ordinary shrub into a work of art. Here are some tips I found in this article by Jeff Stafford.

Looking for a showcase specimen plant for your yard? Something uniquely creative and visually pleasing that won’t require heavy maintenance for the casual gardener? Why not try a topiary?
Whether you are interested in geometric forms, animal shapes or formal landscape sculptures, there are a number of commercial nurseries that specialize in the selection and installation of topiary specimens. Mark Reaves of Topiary Courtyard?has some helpful advice for beginners on the selection, care and maintenance of topiaries.

Although the art of topiary has been around since Roman times, it is a much more prevalent horticulture practice in the United Kingdom where it enjoyed a major renaissance during the Victorian era. Levens Hall in England’s lake district, Drummond Castle?in Perthshire, Scotland and Hidcote Manor in the north Cotswolds are among some of the world famous gardens featuring spectacular topiary designs. But there are a number of equally prestigious topiary gardens in the U.S. which draw huge crowds yearly such as Ladew Gardens, Lotusland, Longwood Gardens and the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden?in South Carolina.