At this time of year I occasionally escape the greenhouse for a car, van or truck ride. Usually I drive like I'm on a mission but never so fast that I can't gawk at the landscapes of the yards I pass.

Almost always I am amazed by the love, pride and the stress relief that is built into every yard. Some are high budget, but most are created with modest spending. Regardless of the budget you can get satisfying results.

On a recent afternoon I passed a yard just in time to see the owner wield a hedge trimmer in a slashing circular arc starting at the top and ending near the trunk of some unsuspecting shrub. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. At my age that seems to be where most of my hair resides.

I'll admit that I think hedge trimmers are mankind's worst invention. As I'm sure you suspect, you won't find topiaries and hedges in my garden. Hedge trimmers may be ok if they are left on the garage shelf with limited visitation rights to a hedge some place.

If your garden calls for a hedge, select a plant that responds well to constant pruning. The first thing that comes to mind is yews followed in the distance by boxwoods and privet. The key to growing a successful hedge is to keep it noticeably wider at the bottom than it is at the top. You want light to reach the lower branches. The alternative is to watch the lower branches die.

The yew is also a great choice for topiary. Other neat topiaries result from letting ivy grow over a prepared frame.

Flowering shrubs should never fall victim to the hedge trimmers. Most grow in a rather random fashion and constant pruning to prevent otherwise is sure to limit bloom, which is why we planted it in the first place.

If you want a ball in the garden, there are many options to select from. The key point is to find a shrub that fits the space first and then gives you the form that you wish. That is not as difficult as it may seem. Seek help from a professional, Penn State's Master Gardener's Hotline at 717-394-6851 or from the personnel at your favorite nursery.

I saw another bad practice on my recent travels. Someone had piled mulch around a pair of maple trees that were maybe 20 feet tall. It looked at least a foot deep in a 25-mile per hour zone.

Mulch under trees is a good idea if it is held back from the trunk. When the lower tree trunk never dries because of its mulching, it is holding a welcome mat for disease and insects. Keep mulch back far enough that the air will keep the bark dry except immediately after a rain event.

To close I will confess that I own a hedge trimmer. I could lead you to it. I'm sure it won't start because it hasn't been used in nearly 20 years.

My pruning comes from a collection of shears or a small saw used to remove dead wood, winter dieback and an occasional unruly branch. My favorite shrub is one that I never touch. My garden is full of them.