A PENSIONER has revealed people always stop and stare at his garden after he created incredible hedge art.
David Hawson, 74, snapped up a derelict cottage in Aberdeenshire’s Monymusk almost 50 years ago with his wife Susie.
In a bid to keep out any wandering livestock and wildlife, the couple – who “hate fences” – decided to plant a hedge border instead.
Over the years they noticed that their three-inch yew seedling was growing to resemble animals, so David decided to help it along.
He has since transformed his boring outdoor space into a magical oasis with tributes to Moby Dick, birds and even himself.
The painter told BBC Scotland News: “The cottage was derelict, so it had no garden.
“Being in the middle of the country, we were prone to getting livestock wandering in. Neither of us likes fences, they do make such a visual statement about keeping out.
“We bought tiny little seedlings, never realising we would do topiary.
“That really grew as the hedge grew – occasionally we’d look out the window, think ‘oh, that looks a bit like a bird’ and help it on its way.”
Now David has been crowned as top home gardener at the Henchman’s Topiary Awards ceremony in London, with his designs described by organisers as “a testament to the creativity and skill that’s out there across Britain.”
The OAP said that he likes nature to “suggest” a shape for his creations.
His designs include a selection of birds, self-portraits of himself and Susie and Captain Ahab’s shop, the whale, and the fish from Moby Dick.
Despite their intricacy, David has revealed they only take him two days to create.
And he loves the reaction his garden gets from members of the public.
“We do get people who’ve never seen it before stopping and smiling, and I like that”, he said.
“Often gardeners take life very seriously, and in this case it’s exceptionally silly. That makes me smile.”
