topiary

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Over the last few weeks we have spent a large number of hours in Home Depot and Lowes etc (we moved and have a whole lot of stuff to correct in the 'new' house).  Of course in the excursions I wandered into the nursery dept. 

 

Simple arborvitae topiary things everywhere - pompoms and swirls etc, all selling for close to $100 a piece when the un-tinckered ones were $25. I also noticed topiary greenery in the front of many small businesses.   I am not sure if this is an east coast trend or nationwide, but the big box stores generally are the same across the nation.  So, when did this craze start? Did I miss it totally or what? and is anyone writing on how to turn the $25 thing into the $100 topiary with just a pair of shears and what to do to maintain the topiary next spring when it starts to grow out of this un-natural form.