This front yard slope in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego is (I'm going to risk saying it) the most unusual in the city.
On close inspection a visitor becomes aware that these are a series of random animal and geometrical shapes--topiary just carved into the honeysuckle growing on a steep slope at the corner of Union and Vine in San Diego.
The home sits above at the right.
I came across this garden quite by accident on the internet. I Googled the words "topiary San Diego" because I was looking for a nursery in North County that I visited years ago and I was hoping to find it on the web. Instead, this garden popped up and immediately I was intrigued. What? I grabbed my little camera and headed for the car. Of course I had to see it.
Visitors liken it to cloud gazing and 'Edward Scissorhands,' to both of which I concur.
I read that the owners maintain this with the help of a gardener and that some of the shapes are based on their travels. The garden includes pyramids, bunnies, elephants, a whale and what appears to be a person in a Mexican sombrero!
Unlike my photographs however, I think that the message from this garden is very clear: Don't take gardening so serious. Lighten up, people!