Sunday Gardener: Shearing and shaping native species shrubs
I’M HERE WITH CARRIE INGLE, AND WE ARE AT THE BEAUTIFUL LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS. I KNOW IT’S A HOT DAY, BUT THE SUN IS SHINING, HELPING THE PLANTS GROW. I’M HERE WITH ABBY EVANS, AND YOU REALLY SPECIALIZE IN SHEARING THESE TOPIARIES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, LADUE IS MOST KNOWN FOR. WHAT KIND OF PLANT ARE YOU WORKING ON? YEAH. SO TODAY I’M WORKING ON. THIS. IS PRIVET AS AN INVASIVE SPECIES. SO IT’S NOT ONE THAT WE RECOMMEND PLANTING IN YOUR GARDEN. OKAY. THAT’S WHY WE KEEP IT SHEARED REGULARLY TO KEEP IT FROM BLOOMING. KEEPING IT CONTAINED. YES, EXACTLY. AND KEEP IT IN ITS ORIGINAL SHAPE. OKAY. AND SO I USE A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT TOOLS. TODAY I’M USING MY HEDGE SHEARS. AND THEN I’LL GO BACK AND DO HAND WORK WITH EITHER MY SCISSORS OR MY PRUNERS. AND THEN I CAN JUST GO THROUGH I GOT THEM. WOW. YOU REALLY PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE AN EYE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU’RE TRYING TO GO. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT, YOU’RE GOING TO USE A POWERFUL TOOL. WHY DON’T YOU SHOW US HOW THAT WORKS AND WHAT YOU DO? SO ANY ONE OF THESE. YEAH. I’LL STEP BACK. BACK IN THE DAY. OH, COOL. WOW. SO YOU KIND OF ALREADY HAVE A SHAPE IN MIND. HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TO TAKE OFF? OH, WELL, IT JUST COMES DOWN TO A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE. SO THIS PLANT WILL GROW A FOOT EVERY MONTH OR SO. WOW. SO WE HAVE TO KEEP IT TRIMMED. SO ONCE IT STARTS GETTING, YOU KNOW, A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE OLD GROWTH, YOU CAN SEE HERE WHERE IT’S BEEN CUT BEFORE. WE CALL IT THE SKIN OF THE TOPIARY. WE’RE TAKING IT DOWN. WE’RE GIVING IT A HAIRCUT BASICALLY. OKAY. SO WE’RE CUTTING OFF ALL THIS NEW GROWTH BUZZ CUT. YES, EXACTLY. A BUZZ CUT. YEP. MY BROTHER USED TO GET THOSE. YEAH, YEAH. SO BASICALLY I’M JUST A REALLY GOOD HAIRSTYLIST. YEAH, I LOVE IT. AND NOW I SEE SOME OF THE TWIGS DOWN. IS THAT NORMAL? BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO KEEP GROWING FROM THERE. YES. YEAH. WE ENCOURAGE THE GROWTH FROM THE INSIDE. YOU CAN SEE SOME GROWTH IN HERE. IT’S GOING TO COME OUT. IT’LL FILL IN THESE LITTLE HOLES. I’LL EVEN GO THROUGH AND I CAN MAKE SOME HOLES. I CAN CUT OUT SOME PIECES HERE THAT’S PRETTY BIG AND STEMMY. YEAH I DON’T LIKE THAT. THAT’S GROSS. SO I JUST CUT THAT, THROW IT DOWN. I CAN NIP THESE TIPS HERE AND THAT’LL MAKE THAT FILL IN THAT WHOLE EMPTY SPACE THERE. BUT I COULD WATCH THIS ALL DAY I LOVE IT. YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE WANTS A TASTE OF THIS, THEY CAN MAYBE PLANT. WHAT KIND OF PLANTS WOULD PEOPLE START? BECAUSE THESE ARE INVASIVE. WE STAYED AWAY FROM PRIVETS, BUT WE USE USE OR THE TAXES. BOXWOOD ARE USED A LOT. EVEN I SEE SOME OF YOUR LAVENDER. YOU CAN USE SOME OF THE HERBS GERMANDER ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO MAKE LITTLE TOPIARIES. AND HOW LONG DO YOU NEED TO ESTABLISH IT? FIRST, WE WERE TOLD BACK IN THAT LAST GARDEN THAT WE WANT THAT WE’RE IN LAST WEEK, THAT WE WANT ABOUT A YEAR TO AT LEAST GET THE ROOTS PATIENT BEFORE WE BEFORE THE HAIRCUT. AND THE SMALLER YOU START, THE MORE CONTROL YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE AS IT GROWS. IT’S LIKE A BABY. OKAY, SO MANY SIMILARITIES I LOVE IT. THANK YOU ABBY THIS IS SO COOL. AND YOU KNOW, NOW YOU’LL REALLY KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO DESIGN
Sunday Gardener: Shearing and shaping native species shrubs
Updated: 7:26 PM EDT Jul 27, 2025
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Ava Marie returns to Ladew Topiary Gardens to talk about shearing and shaping shrubs and the recommended species of shrubs to plant in your own garden.
Ava Marie returns to Ladew Topiary Gardens to talk about shearing and shaping shrubs and the recommended species of shrubs to plant in your own garden.