Hi judith,

You probably already are done with this project but if you aren't and you're still looking for ideas, I think it would be easy for you to use a template.

Find or make something round out of a piece of wire like a coat hanger or wreath. Anything round would work. place it in the middle of your foliage and use the wire's roundness as a guide to follow. Sorta like on tv when you see moms cut their kid's hair with a bowl. Hope you get the idea.

You know, I thought of that.....but cant so far figure out how to get a perfectly round shape - I would like to make one that I could use to put on all of them, just a form, and just use it when I trim. But cant figure out how to put it over the shrub, but will keep thinking......Thanks for the idea....
Judith

How big are the shrubs and how big is the sphere you want to make? How about making a ring out of a large piece of carboard you could cut a slit in the ring that allows you to move it.

I think the easiest way would be to use a wreath frame from a craft store that's big enough to fit. It's durable and you can reuse it but once you get your basic shape.

I have a boxwood in the ground that needs some trimming...I'll try my carboard idea when the rain stops and see if it works and will report back here, with pics.

I think mrbrown's idea is good. However I will suggest a slightly different methodology in using the idea. The best way outside of making a wire frame, is to create a cardboard template. Superimpose the carboard against the plant and trim only the leaves that protrude outside the perimeter of the template. If using a wreath frame, do not use the inner circle as a reference. But it's particularly a useful tool because that inner circle allows you to place the template more fitting against the plant. It becomes a closer fit when cutting and remember you are creating a ball shaped plant and so no flat surface to lay the template against. Move that template around the pot in small degrees the repeat the procedure. Do this until you've completely encircled the plant. Important to note, trim in small degrees, step back to check your job, keep the template nearby as a reference.