Conical plant in London

This is a house for sale near Kingston London. What are those two conical plants in containers on either side of the stairway?

The link to the house is here

Check out this property for sale on Rightmove!

 

If you buy the property you could then give us a closeup which would make IDing sooooo much easier.

 

Probably a conifer of some kind which has been cloud pruned.

 

Funny 'clouds' Pete, they look like whippy ice creams to me ... minus the Flake!

 

I probably used the wrong name for the pruning technique, but I tried.

Lets call it Whippy ice cream pruning then.

 

It certainly doesn’t look natural, but I can’t be sure!

 

I think so, I can’t imagine that there are two like that!

 

Maybe they were supposed to be trimmed like this ...


HOW TO MAKE A TOPIARY
CREATING THE PERFECT SPIRAL TOPIARY

You’ve probably seen a spiral topiary at your local nursery or home improvement store. These corkscrew-shaped hedges are fun to look at it and even more fun to create.





Source: Shutterstock

If you’re feeling creative, creating a spiral topiary is a great a way to show off your hedge trimming skills and create a unique, appealing shrub. When it comes to how to make a topiary, choose a shrub such as juniper, privet, or boxwood.

Begin with a nice, conically shaped specimen. Start by attaching an inch- wide ribbon or masking tape to the top of the shrub. Wrap the tape around the shrub in a spiral, dividing the plant into gradually larger sections. Stand back and observe from all sides, adjusting the spiral if necessary. Starting at the top, cut back the branches below the ribbon. Trim branches all the way to the trunk. Next, remove the ribbon or tape and trim to perfect the shape.

Congratulations! You’ve made a spiral topiary.

 

Can't add to the topiary debate but yes it's Huck's Chalet on the north bank of the Thames, near Hampton Court palace. I used to live a mile down the road in Hampton as a teenager - it was always a landmark, a genuine Swiss chalet put up as a boathouse in the 1880s and then serving as an "eyecatcher" for the boatyard next door: Hucks Boat Yard - Archives Hub. It was a bit run down at that point but always fun to see!

 

Showed my Dad the link on the house this afternoon. He knew the Hucks well and was friends with the son. They went to school together and my Dad was often round there playing with him. My Dad remembered being there when a bomb fell close by in Bushy Park, sadly he had many close encounters up there in Hampton. Both he and my Mum were born up there, I know the area well as we often stayed with my Grandparents, still have family up there now, my Dad went up to see his brother on Tuesday.
My Dad was amazed at how the house looks now!!