Dalmeny Estate Topiaries

There are many things one would expect to encounter when traipsing in and around the Dalmeny Estate, a mixture of farmland and tenanted dwellings, a few miles north of Edinburgh. From grazing livestock to beautiful structures from the 17th-19th centuries, all nestled along the watery estuary of the Firth of Forth. One unexpected site is a trio of topiary that have been manicured to resemble several iconic stone figures from around the world.

Adjacent to a residence with connections to Dalmore Distillery, a company that manufactures vermouth. Resident gardener Michael Kaplan has spent the last 20-plus years cultivating a Yew tree to resemble a moai from Easter Island, an Olmec head from Central America, and a Corinthian warrior from Greece. The heads are even electrically wired so that the eyes blink red, even for just a brief moment.

Using just an ordinary pair of hand-held gardening shears, it takes Michael one whole weekend, three times a year, to keep the hedges in their recognizable shapes. The nearly 20-foot-tall specimens are popular with locals and tourists alike.