Return of the Topiaries!

A big thanks to Pam over at Retro Renovation for posting about my topiary series today! In case you didn't know, RR is a blog about maintaining the period details of mid-century homes, and is full of fantastic resources and ideas. You can check out her posting here, or my original topiary posts here.

The Happiest Topiary in Town

For those of you already familiar with my obsession with topiaries, this post will come as no surprise. I stumbled upon these gems this afternoon and was absolutely delighted! I guess I'm not the only one who thinks shrubs have character.

Topiaries Revisited

You may recall my fixation with topiaries a few months back. My many posts on the topic seemed to satisfy me, but when I drove by this garden today, I couldn't resist taking a pic. It was impossible to fit all the shrubs into one frame, but let me tell you that they continue to the left, and wrap around the side of the house as well.

Assorted Shrubberies

I've been sick for the past few days, so I guess shrubberies got a bit of an extension, but I promise that this is the last of them... for a while. I hope you enjoyed these topiaries from the Bay Area, and stay tuned for Gray Week!

In the foreground here, you can see two Puffs, and in the background is a sort of Pom Pom/ Swirl hybrid. I also love that chimney! There are lots like it in my neighborhood, and I think they are very charming.

These neat rows of Drums remind me of typewriter keys.

Here are two lovely examples of the Grimace. As you can see, a single Grimace is very nice, but having several really elevates a garden to the next level.


I suppose you could call this shape the Fro Yo.

And this one might be the Cairn.

Here are some lovely Platters and Pom Poms:








I like how boxy these ones are.

These are like boxy Corndogs... Fishsticks?

And I love this Stacker! It's almost more like a Push Up pop.

This is one of the best cared for Swirls I've ever seen...

...whereas these ones have gotten a little out of control.

This one looks like a Ziggurat.

A neat row of Doorknobs.

And finally, here are a couple shots to show you how prevalent these topiaries are on certain blocks.

Mixed Plate

I love seeing gardens that combine a variety of topiaries.

Here you can see a Stacker, some Boxes, a couple of Mushrooms, and partially hidden behind the truck, a Drum.

Both of these homeowners thought the Grimace and Pom-Pom would make a nice match.


This house seems to have more than its share of shrubbery. Note the Drums along the foreground, the short Swirl on the left, and the large Grimace with a chunk taken out of its side.

This garden is definitely giving a nod to the Japonesque, mixing bonsai with a Mushroom, a Pom Pom, and some neatly trimmed hedges.

The Kook

The Kook is a rare and interesting type of topiary. Homeowners who choose to display them are clearly creative and talented gardeners. This example is like a cross between the Stacker, the Grimace, and the Swirl.

This one is maybe my favorite shrubbery ever! It is all Kook, all the way.

The Platter

The Platter is the Pom Pom's more sophisticated relative.

The Swirl

The Swirl reminds me of soft serve ice cream on a summer day. It is fluffy and cloud-like and close in shape to the Stacker.

The Box

Always a classic, I present The Box.

I love the variety of dimension here. And you can see how nice The Box looks when paired with a Pom Pom or two...

The Pom-Pom

The Pom Pom is perhaps the most popular type of Topiary around. Here are a few choice specimens: