Tuesday Pics: Extreme Topiary, Part 1

Topiary, the horticultural practice of turning plants and shrubs into shapes and figures, has been called living sculpture. To me it has always seemed a bit unnatural, like watching an elephant balance on a ball at the circus. Dr Samuel Johnson once observed that a woman preaching was like a dog walking on its hind legs, not that it was done well but that it was surprising that it was done at all. So it is with topiary. 

Nonetheless here are some examples of topiary done well and, in a number of them, surprising to have been done:

And if you don't like your neighbour. . .