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England -

The celebrated topiary garden at Levens Hall in Cumbria was created by French gardener Guillaume Beaumont, and was laid out between 1689 and 1712. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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France -

The garden embellishing the grounds of the 17th-century Château de Marqueyssac at Vézac is the main reason people visit this particular Dordogne town. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

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Ecuador -

The Topiary Garden Cemetery in Tulcan features more than 100 natural sculptures and includes animals, angels, Inca symbols, and bulbous, iconic creatures squatting in a row.

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Spain -

Visitors to the Guggenheim Museum in  Bilbao are met by a giant topiary puppy dog, designed by American artist Jeff Koons. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Russia -

Beware the green bears in the Central Park of Culture and Rest, in the city of Kaluga.

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England -

This is the view of the mostly Victorian-era Lanhydrock House in Cornwall. The gardens are well known locally for their vase-like sculptured front lawn bushes.(Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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France -

The grounds of the 17th-century Manor d'Eyrignac in Salignac-Eyvigues, Dordogne is listed as one of the Noble Gardens of France.

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USA -

Kids will love exploring the Green Animals Topiary Garden (the world's most environmentally friendly zoo, joke the locals), located at Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

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South Korea -

Cloud-pruning—a method of training trees and shrubs into shapes resembling clouds—can be admired at Hallyeohaesang National Park in Geoje. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Wales -

Next time you drive through the small town of Crickhowell in Powys, look out for this rather green and grand wall extension. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Italy -

Located near Viterbo, Villa Lante's Mannerist "garden of surprise" is enclosed by high box hedges while its center is sculpted and formed into decorative patterns around small fountains. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Costa Rica -

The extraordinary Parque Francisco Alvarado in Zarcero is laid out in front of a church. The many shrubs and plants have been trimmed into the shapes of various animals, including some that are quite abstract and bizarre.

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England -

Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire is designed to resemble outdoor rooms, achieved by the use of box hedges (pictured), hornbeam and yew, and stone walls. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

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France -

Château de Villandry in the Loire Valley is one of the most visited châteaux in France and famous for its Renaissance gardens. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Singapore -

Passengers at Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport can explore a nature-themed entertainment complex that includes the amazing Topiary Walk. All sorts of weird and wonderful sculptured creatures are waiting to greet you.

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Latvia -

Seen from above, the sheer scale of Rundāle Palace's formal grounds are apparent.

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Thailand -

The flower-flecked Suan Luang Rama IX botanical park in Bangkok includes a carefully maintained topiary garden.

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Czech Republic -

Kroměříž has previously been voted the most beautiful city in the Czech Republic. The castle is famous for its original and highly ornamented baroque flower garden.

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Portugal -

One of the most popular visitor attractions on the Atlantic island of Madeira is the botanical gardens, which feature a dedicated topiary environment.

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England -

Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII, spent her early youth at Hever Castle, located in Kent. The gardens with their topiary sculpture, however, date from the early 20th century. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0)

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France -

The landscaped topiary gardens of Château de Hautefort in the Dordogne imitate the domes of the property. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Germany -

The grounds of the medieval Bürresheim Castle near Mayan appear as if they've been planted with emerald-tipped arrowheads. Incidentally, the castle's exteriors stood in for "Schloss Brunwald" in 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' (1989).

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Scotland -

Drummond Castle Gardens in Perthshire date back to 1490. The topiary consists of low hedges that have been clipped and embroidered into a St. Andrew’s-like cross.

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Canada -

Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Quebec is named for French explorer Jacques Cartier, who arrived at the mouth of the Ottawa River while he was looking for the Northwest Passage. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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England -

A topiary spiral in the Long Garden of the grounds of Clivedean House. The historic property was the center of the Profumo scandal in the 1960s. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Wales -

Chirck Castle near Wrexham is surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens. And in keeping with the military theme, the outer walls are, in fact, topiary battlements. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Russia -

Sochi's Green Planet Topiary Park has used soft artificial lawn to create the life-size animals you see at this popular visitor attraction.

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England -

The Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury are built around a 16th-century manor house. One interesting feature is the Knot Garden, an arrangement of formal beds under various topiary sculpture. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

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USA -

The Garden Club of America has described Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland as "the most outstanding topiary garden in America." (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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England -

A creative property extension pictured in the North Yorkshire village of Glasshouses. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

See also: Inspirational ideas to create your dream garden.

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