"Naked" topiary has Sheffield residents in a frenzy
Keith Tyssen's suggestively poised houseplant has become the source of contention in his Sheffield neighbourhood.
Keith Tyssen is a proud topiarist who has been cultivating his privet plant, which pride of place at the front of his house, for over 40 years.
What began as an homage to Greek gods morphed into a reclining woman whom Keith has dubbed the "Privet Lady".
Keith Tyssen spent years sculpting his privet hedges into the form of a nude woman.
— BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) July 25, 2018
Now he says he's getting annoyed by people damaging it by taking selfies with her. pic.twitter.com/Xh5hGEGc75
Understandably, Keith's creation attracts a lot of attention in his Sheffield neighbourhood. For the most part, Keith welcomes it. But lately, he has had a difficult time keeping drunk revellers who pass by his house away from his beloved lady.
Keith is upset that people choose to climb on top of the plant and behave in lewd ways. They are not respecting the Privet Lady and Keith says "It makes me feel a bit sick, really. That's just not the way to behave - in lots of ways."
Keith Tyssen has maintained his "privet lady" at his Sheffield home since 2000, but is often woken up in the night by distracted passers-by.
— Olly Holbrook (@olholbrook) July 26, 2018
"They're climbing on top of her and pulling her legs apart - you know, it's disgusting," he said.https://t.co/OS2v0q3na8
The behaviour of the people in the neighbourhood has forced Keith to consider putting up an alarm or a sign as a detterant.