Why have just faries in your garden?

September 8, 2012 12:08 PM

The British like their hedges and shrubs. They like to train and trim them into interesting shapes, some more successful than others.

But Steve Manning has taken garden art to a whole new level, with his imaginative topiary and willow sculptures.

His sculptures are lifelike and unusual, and maybe just a little bit creepy.

posted by essexjan (21 comments total)

From the links in the post, this one in kind of neat in a Spanish Christ Painting Restoration kind of way.
posted by surazal at 12:14 PM on September 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

Despite the comforting words, I am alarmed now by the bustle in my hedgerow.
posted by chavenet at 12:15 PM on September 8, 2012 [7 favorites]

I like Steve Manning's outdoor projects, but one of his works ended up with too many Beatles.
posted by Smart Dalek at 12:21 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

A shrubbery!!
posted by The otter lady at 12:21 PM on September 8, 2012 [9 favorites]

The spider will haunt my dreams.
posted by lazaruslong at 12:28 PM on September 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

I like Steve Manning's outdoor projects, but one of his works ended up with too many Beatles.

Given the way the lead singer's standing, I would guess that it's more inspired by Oasis than the Beatles, and they always had five members.

Of course, you wouldn't be the first person who confused the two... /snark
posted by Jehan at 12:28 PM on September 8, 2012

Isn't that Oasis, Smart Dalek?
posted by essexjan at 12:29 PM on September 8, 2012

What is this? It looks like a triceratops that was visited by poachers.
posted by ryanrs at 12:33 PM on September 8, 2012

Ought to have been Robert Plant.
posted by Abiezer at 12:33 PM on September 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

ryanrs: "What is this? It looks like a triceratops that was visited by poachers."

I think that one's been repaired by an elderly Spanish lady.
posted by Auz at 12:35 PM on September 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

brilliant, Jan, totally awesome! I want....
posted by Wilder at 12:35 PM on September 8, 2012

But isn't using frames kind of cheating?
posted by easily confused at 12:40 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

ryanrs: "What is this? It looks like a triceratops that was visited by poachers."

Elephant in the off season (notice dried leaves), it is walking to camera right. I am sure it will look great when it fills out and gets a trim.
posted by idiopath at 12:45 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

The British like their hedges and shrubs.
I've heard that they enjoy romping with their school chums in the fens and spinneys, where the twilight bathed the hedgerows like a lambent flame.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:47 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

That silly can-fit-its-own-fuse plug design is still ugly, even in topiary. Nearly life-sized, too.
posted by clvrmnky at 1:18 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

I am alarmed now by the bustle in my hedgerow

I've always wondered if this was a euphemism for crabs.
posted by Flashman at 3:03 PM on September 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

Here are two pictures I found of an ex-neighbor in Port Washington, Long Island. The guy had many other delightful creations, all around the yard of his little house.
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:51 PM on September 8, 2012

And then there's Jeff Koons's Puppy.
posted by scratch at 5:19 PM on September 8, 2012

ЯƎɊЯUM! ЯƎɊЯUM!!
posted by not_on_display at 11:08 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Stateside, Pearl Fryer has built himself an amazing topiary garden.

The neighborhood association wanted to bar his family from buying into their SC neighborhood, because, "black people don't keep up their yards."

Guess he showed them. (YT)
posted by pomegranate at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Some (mildly) offensive topiary.
posted by Monkeymoo at 10:01 AM on September 9, 2012