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Shape box topiary Clipped box topiary adds style, elegance and fun to the garden. It can be grown as individual trained geometric shapes and standard specimens in borders or large pots, as well as dwarf hedges or edgings. To keep topiary in shape

Topiary in the garden needn't be expensive. You can easily grow and train your own plant sculpture from scratch. The process takes a few years, but you'll have all the satisfaction of seeing your creation take shape, at a fraction of the price

the plastic after you've finished spraying.Glass jarsCardSticky-backed plasticGlass-frosting sprayTea lightsall year round20 minutesMake a template out of card and use it to draw on the reverse side of the sticky-backed plastic. Cut out the plastic shapes

Nesting female bees cut out immediately obvious elliptical shapes from the edges of a leaf to make their cells for laying eggs. Since one female might need 20 or so cells, that's a lot of leaf cutting, particularly when the bee keeps returning

of fruit. Summer pruning is also ideal for keeping trees in shape. Pick herbs, lavender and everlasting flowersBe on the lookout for developing pest problemsDig out problem lawn weeds or treat with weedkiller Around the gardenPick bulbils from lily stems

Learn how to add evergreen interest and structure to a border using box plants, by following Monty's video demonstration, with tips on planting techniques and soil preparation.spring or autumnMore advice on caring for box plantsHow to shape box

Learn how to winter prune gooseberries and redcurrants in Monty's video guide, including advice on achieving the best shape, increasing airflow, promoting new growth and deterring pests such as sawfly.winterMore advice on pruningAdvice on pruning

Sow sunflowers outside, directly where you want them to bloomTrim winter-flowering heathers, removing faded flowers and tidying up their shapePick off faded flower heads from hyacinths, to prevent them wasting energy setting seedPlant groups

clumps of rhubarbTake hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushesPrune apple and pear trees to control their size and shapeCut down Jerusalem artichokes

two years for your ball shape to fully develop.Find out how to create more topiary shapes, in Alan Titchmarsh's feature in the November 2011 issue of Gardeners' World Magazine, on sale now. Alan explains how to make a range of shapes, including cones