When Tim Bushe decided to trim some hedges one recent evening, he attracted more attention than usual for a routine garden chore.

Walkers slowed to take photos and ask questions. Neighbors stepped over piles of leaf clippings to thank him. A driver honked and gave a thumbs up.

Mr. Bushe is used to attention. It happens every time he gives his two gigantic, furry elephants a haircut. They are just one set of a collection of hedges on residential streets that Mr. Bushe has transformed from overgrown plants into whimsical creations.

His hedge menagerie includes two cats, a squirrel, a hippo and a fish. There is also, experimentally, a reclining nude woman. He hopes a giant rabbit will join them this summer.

His hedges have for years delighted residents and bemused others who stumble across them. They even collect reviews as local landmarks on Google maps, from the no-nonsense (“Well maintained”) to the effusive (“My life is now complete after seeing this beautiful hedge.”).