Many people may not have heard about topiary, but most people will be familiar with it's practice. Topiary is the art of trimming and shaping hedges into an array of shapes and sizes in order to add an artistic touch to the yard. When it comes to selling a home, the exterior is a huge factor in creating curb appeal and making the home more appealing to buyers. Hedges and bushes offer privacy which is a highly sought-after characteristic that many homes lack.

Creative gardening is really not as hard as many people think. It does not take a lot to create a beautiful garden scene that can add to the value and beauty of your home. Starting out with topiary is fairly simple. Fist take some time and decide what kind of hedge, vine or bush you would like to use. Several factors should be taken into account when choosing a plant. You will need a plant that will be able to flourish in your area's environment and one that will be able to grow properly in the place you have selected for it.

The most basic way to start with topiary is to fashion a rough wire frame in the desired shape. Once this is done, secure it in place and begin to train the plant around the shape. This will take some practice to get right so don't get discouraged if the first results are not perfect. For this reason it is best to start with something simple and work your way up to the more intricate projects.

Another great way to increase the privacy in your yard using plants is to start a creeper vine and train it to grow along a trellis. This is a fantastic way to bring a scenic green element to the yard and plants like the fast growing wisteria are ideally suited to this kind of task. The atmosphere that can be created by overhanging greenery is amazing and gives a yard a definite conversation point and much needed shady areas during hot summers.