On a quiet street in London’s Islington district, a special sight catches the eye: Hedge Sculptures, with love in every trim. You’ll find stunning creations among the hedges here, from trains to swans, only imagination is the limit to these leafy works of art.

At the sculpture’s base: Tim Bushe. He’s an architect with a flair for topiary art, whose now dedicating his craft to the memory of his late wife.

“Philippa, my wife, used to sit in the living room and look out through the window here and demanded that I cut a cat,” Bushe said. But instead of a cat, Philippa got the train, a project that started a passion.

The couple had been together for 47 years before Philippa passed away from breast cancer seven years ago. “It is her legacy,” Bushe said. Inspired by her creative spirit, he continued sculpting, transforming hedges around his home into whimsical figures. His hedges reveal a magical menagerie: elephants, fish, a hippo, and even a nod to everyone’s daily backyard visitor: squirrel.

Bushe’s artistry has drawn smiles from neighbors and tourists alike.

Bushe’s hedges are more than just a neighborhood spectacle. Each project helps raise money for various causes. His first piece supported a charity, “Hft,” which supports more than 2700 learning disabled people to live with independence. This aligns with his care for his sister, who has Down syndrome. “I raised about 10,000 pounds for her,” Bushe said.

When asked about his creative process, Bushe explained that he lets the hedge guide him. “I find the shape within the hedge,” he said, likening his clippers to an artist’s brush.

For Bushe, every sculpted hedge is a tribute to Philippa, who first encouraged him to see his garden as a canvas. “If she was alive now, she would be fascinated, I think, by the way it’s taken off,” he said.

Despite the fame his work has garnered, Bushe remains humble, saying he’ll keep sculpting “until I fall off my ladder.”
“I enjoy seeing the results of my hobby making people smile,” he said.

The impact of Tim’s artistry goes beyond the neighborhood spectacle; it has inspired others to see the beauty and potential in everyday things, turning ordinary hedges into extraordinary symbols of love and community.

Tim’s story reminds us that even in the face of loss, creativity can be a powerful force for healing, connection, and giving back. The main message is that love, when nurtured through creativity, has the power to inspire, heal, and unite us all.