"Debbie the Dogged" wrote in message
.. .
And an incredible urge to carve my 2 mature boxwood hedges (about 8 feet
long by 3 feet wide by 4 feet tall) into something more interesting,
like a dragon or sea serpent or dachshund. However, all the topiary
books/references/postings I've found talk about training and frames,
etc. Can anyone point me towards information on how to carve already-
existing hedges into something weird and wonderful?

You can cut out the rough shape of whatever figure you want to make, but the
actual final shape requires patience, training and frames. If you look at
the center of the hedge, there are few leaves, now if you cut it all away
using a hedge trimmer, it would look rather barren, so you'll have to do it
slowly, cut away a section, let it regrow some leaves, lather, rinse,
repeat.

It might take a year or so to get it to it's final shape.

-S