AI Predicts Which ‘Topiary Personalities’ Would Win Hearts This Valentine’s Day

Ahead of Valentine’s Day 2025, the home of the world’s oldest topiary garden, Levens Hall and Gardens, has embraced the future and interrogated AI to discover which celebrities  people might most ‘love to see’, if created in topiary form.

The results as to what might win over hearts and minds, came back based on the iconic status of the personality involved, their global appeal and their distinctive features or silhouettes.  The latter is particularly important for topiary, as it is this that makes a topiary piece instantly recognisable.

The top 10 suggestions generated by AI, as to who might be the muse for the most-loved topiary sculptures were: Elvis Presley; Queen Elizabeth II; David Beckham; Charlie Chaplin; Mickey Mouse; Audrey Hepburn; The Beatles and Albert Einstein.

AI suggested that the King of Rock and Roll had an instantly recognisable stance and silhouette, whereas AI described David Beckham as a global sports icon and style symbol whom sports fans would love to see created in topiary.

The creation of a playful and classic topiary underpinned AI’s Charlie Chaplin suggestion, whilst it was felt his bowler hat, moustache and cane could all be depicted.  Staying in the world of movies, AI believed Audrey Hepburn’s elegant pose from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, complete with cigarette holder, would be a ‘chic and timeless’ choice.

The wild hair and playful persona of Albert Einstein was deemed perfect, with the possibility of this making a ‘quirky and intellectual statement’ in the Levens Hall and Gardens topiary garden, which dates from 1694.

Mickey Mouse was selected because of his worldwide status.  Of course, topiary is one of the key features at Walt Disney World Resort, so this suggestion has already been embraced elsewhere.

The Beatles hint was one very much directed at recreating the Abbey Road album shot, featuring the Fab Four on the zebra crossing.  AI believed this would offer the public the opportunity to view a ‘standout piece’.

The Queen Elizabeth II suggestion is particularly interesting.  Elizabethan mansion, Levens Hall and Gardens, is already home to a topiary piece named Queen Elizabeth I, who is depicted with her maids of honour.  Having the second Queen Elizabeth in the garden would make perfect sense, especially as her son, King Charles III, has already had a hand to play in the topiary garden. The King planted a yew tree just over 20 years ago, which has now developed into a cone-shaped piece within a surrounding circular border.

Whilst many of the Levens Hall and Gardens topiary pieces are well over 150 years old and some are way past their 300th birthday, more modern pieces, like the King’s, punctuate the garden too, with tiered creations having been a popular addition over the past four decades.

Levens Hall and Gardens owner, Richard Bagot, says: “Our pre-Valentines Day exploration of AI has certainly thrown up some suggestions of the personalities the public might wish to see created in topiary form.  Of course, we already have a fair few here, from Homer Simpson to Darth Vader, but it is always good to consider what might come next.

“We have all sorts of shapes and pieces in our topiary garden – well over 100 in all – with everything from the two huge Great Umbrella Trees, to birds, a Toppling Wedding Cake, Judge’s Wig and Jug of Morocco Ale. People typically describe feeling like Alice entering Wonderland when they walk through the door and enter the topiary garden.

“However, our topiary creations are typically not forced.  Our head gardener, Chris Crowder, tends to work with the natural growth of a bush or tree and sculpt according to the lead that nature is already providing.    Given the way that Chris works, some pieces have even changed their identity over time.  For instance, what was the handled Cup and Saucer later became the Top Hat, following changes to the tree.”

Richard Bagot says that, despite Levens Hall and Gardens’ permanent pieces being crafted in this meticulous way, he would be very open to hosting a temporary piece, if a topiary company wished to follow AI’s lead and pick up on one of its suggestions.  That could create a huge talking point for 2025.

The big question though is whether or not you agree with AI?  Would your favourite future topiary choice be amongst its eight selected ‘celebrities’, or do you have another suggestion?  Levens Hall would love to know your thoughts.  

For more information about the garden, which will reopen to the public on March 28, 2025, head to levenshall.co.uk 

Ends

Editors notes

Levens Hall & Gardens is a historic house in the South Lakes, Cumbria, close to Kendal and home to the world's oldest topiary gardens, dating from 1694, created by French garden designer, Guillaume Beaumont. The Hall is a stunning Elizabethan house built around a 13th century pele tower and has close links to the Duke of Wellington, as well as various items which once belonged to him and Napoleon Bonaparte. Levens Park is home to the rare Bagot goats gifted to the Bagot family and a place in which to stroll and enjoy nature. Levens Kitchen is the contemporary new cafe, full of delights for cake lovers and foodies alike.