Choose a design

If you’ve always wanted topiary shapes in your garden, try one of these designs and choose plants that do well in your garden and area. “Buy plants in 4–5kg bags, not bigger,” advises Karin (left). “Small plants are easier to manipulate. With fast-growing plants such as star jasmine and dune crowberry, you will need two to three plants per metre; with Australian brush cherry and spekboom, five plants per metre is best, and for slow growers such as common myrtle and forest num-num, six to eight.

“If you choose a slow grower, your design will work out more expensive since you have to buy more plants to form the pattern within a reasonable time. But don’t place the plants right on top of each other – they must have enough space in which to grow.”