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topiary

topiary

2 8.6
The art of cutting and shaping trees and bushes into decorative forms
  • noun
  • /ˈtoʊpiˌɛri/
translation icon : topiaria
  • The "Botanical Gardens" section offers topiary garden kits that allow children to explore the art of forming living plants into ornamental shapes.
  • topiary garden
  • boxwood topiary
  • topiary trees

Examples

  • Visitors marvel at the intricately designed topiary that adds beauty to the estate.

  • The trees are trimmed to topiary-like shapes, creating a large surface area that provides relatively nutritious forage for livestock during the long, dry summer.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The center point of the great garden is the paved or graveled walk running between trimmed topiary.

    Academic text (1997)
  • It led between orderly beds of flowers, through topiary arches, and past small fountains where tritons sported with water nymphs.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The garden is filled with stunning topiary sculptures shaped like animals and trees.

  • Creating a beautiful topiary requires skillful trimming and a good imagination.

How Decorative

topiary
2 8.6
shaping
13 3.0
pruning
7 3.8

Surface Forms

topiary singular
topiaries plural

Etymology

Topiary comes from Latin topiarius, which means 'of an ornamental garden', and from Greek topos, which means 'place'. Think of making a special 'place' in the garden by shaping plants, which is why topiary means the art of trimming shrubs into decorative shapes.