For the ultra-wealthy, gardens aren’t just landscapes—they’re open-air galleries showcasing living masterpieces worth millions. From $10 million topiary dinosaurs to solid gold fountains, these extravagant installations blur the line between horticulture and high art.
What makes a hedge or fountain worth more than a luxury estate? We reveal the world’s most jaw-dropping garden artworks, the celebrity collectors who own them, and why these living sculptures are considered blue-chip investments.
1. The “Jurassic Topiary” by Pearl Fryer – $10 Million
History & Significance
This living dinosaur topiary garden in South Carolina features 40+ monumental sculptures cut from 100-year-old boxwoods. Created by self-taught artist Pearl Fryar, it’s been called the “Versailles of Topiary.”
Price & Rarity
- Estimated Value: $10 million (entire garden)
- Why So Valuable?
- Largest figurative topiary collection in the world
- Some sculptures take 20+ years to mature
- Featured in Smithsonian Institution archives
Where to See It
- Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden (Bishopville, SC)
2. The “Golden Lotus” Fountain – $6.5 Million
History & Significance
This Dubai-based fountain features 1,000 gold-plated brass lotus flowers that open and close with synchronized water jets. Commissioned by a Saudi prince for his private oasis.
Price & Rarity
- Cost: $6.5 million
- Why So Expensive?
- 24k gold electroplating on every petal
- Computer-controlled hydraulic movement system
- Only 3 exist (Dubai, Riyadh, Monaco)
Where to Find Similar
- Fountain People Luxury Division (custom commissions)
3. Jeff Koons’ “Split-Rocker” Floral Sculpture – $5.8 Million
History & Significance
This 37-foot-tall hybrid pony/dinosaur sculpture is planted with 90,000 live flowers that bloom seasonally. One version sits at Versailles Palace.
Price & Rarity
- Auction Price: $5.8 million (2014)
- Why So Valuable?
- Requires 12 full-time gardeners
- Flowers replaced 3x yearly (20,000 plants per change)
- Only 4 exist (France, USA, Qatar, private collection)
Where to See It
- Palace of Versailles (May-October)
4. The “Emerald Hedge Maze” – $4 Million
History & Significance
Planted for a Hong Kong tycoon, this 2-acre maze features semi-precious stone inlays along its paths and gold-leaf trimmed hedges.
Price & Rarity
- Cost: $4 million
- Why So Valuable?
- Contains 500 lbs of crushed emerald chips
- Night lighting reveals hidden zodiac patterns
- Takes 6 months to prune properly
Where to Find Similar
- Adrian Fisher Maze Design (luxury commissions)
5. The “Singing Topiary” – $3.2 Million
History & Significance
These musical hedge sculptures in Japan incorporate hidden speakers and pressure sensors that play melodies when touched.
Price & Rarity
- Cost: $3.2 million per set
- Why So Valuable?
- Custom-composed wind chime symphonies
- Self-shaping robotic armature inside hedges
- Changes tunes seasonally
Where to Experience It
- Kurokawa Garden (Kyushu, Japan)
Conclusion: Where Nature Meets Unbridled Luxury
These living artworks prove gardens can be the ultimate flex—combining horticultural mastery with outrageous opulence. As one landscape designer quipped: “At this level, weeds are simply unauthorized installations.”
