How to Prune Shrubs Into Topiaries

Using a Topiary Form

• 1

  Select a plant that is similar in shape to the topiary design that you want to prune. If you have a topiary form that is a standing person, for instance, select a tree or a slender, vertical shrub roughly the same size as the topiary form. Select a topiary form that has a bottom opening, because some topiary forms open at the top or don't open at all and require planting from the inside.

• 2

  Place the topiary form over the tree or shrub by sliding the open bottom over the plant. It may take some muscle to push the form down onto the plant. If large branches are in the way of the form, cut them back to a level that allows the form to pass over them.

• 3

  Prune back the plant's foliage so that the tips of branches and limbs sit roughly level with the topiary frame. Leave the topiary frame in place over the shrub. As the shrub continues to grow, the new growth fills the topiary frame out more fully, giving the design a fuller appearance.

Pruning Without a Form

• 4

  Choose a shrub in your landscape that has a similar structure to the topiary that you want to create. If you want to make a cone shape, for instance, a vertical shrub that is more narrow at the top than at the bottom is the closest match, while a round shrub is ideal for a ball-shaped topiary.

• 5

  Start pruning at the top and trim the plant back to make the first 5 to 6 inches of your design. For a cone shape, trim the top of the shrub into a rounded triangle. For a ball shape, start in the middle and try to make a uniform curve to the top of the plant.

• 6

  Stand back from the shrub about 5 feet to examine your design. If you see unevenness in the design at that distance, continue pruning the top of the shrub until it looks even. If the design looks good, continue working your way down the plant.

• 7

  Prune the rest of the plant in 5- to 6-inch increments to ensure that you cut an even design. Step back every 5 to 7 inches to inspect your work before continuing. Once you have cut the original topiary shape, maintain the shape by cutting back any long limbs or branches on the shrub as they form.