And those persons who cavil at verdant sculpture, such as Messrs. Gilbert and Onslow Ford never dreamt of, should always remember that it is a form of landscape gardening which delighted our ancestors, much as the century-old dwarf trees in flower-pots delight the Japanese at the present day. 1

1   Matthews, Herbert  "Curious Clipped Trees," in Strand magazine (London), c. 1898.  Vol. 15, pp. 80-85.  The first photo illustrated article about topiaries.