On the University of Alabama campus, a life-size topiary elephant in front of the Rose Administration building is a point of pride, a living symbol of the institution’s identity. Two sisters – Jordan Williamson and Carra Freeman – who work with the UA Facilities and Grounds team tend to the topiary, made of creeping fig and moss, year-round. “He’s life-size, modeled after an actual bull elephant,” Freeman explained. “People are always amazed it’s alive – they think it’s just a sculpture until they get close.”
During the spring, UA’s elephant requires a great deal of work, refreshing and replacing fig and moss, trimming tendrils and, sometimes, a complete redo, according to UA News. Throughout the growing season, when it’s displayed in full sun, frequent haircuts and constant watering keep the elephant healthy. And then it’s wheeled into winter storage for its dormancy period.
"Elephants are synonymous with the University,” Freeman told the publication. “But I think what fascinates people most is that it’s alive. It grows and changes, and someone’s taking care of it.”
Read more about UA’s elephant topiary and its groundskeepers here.
