Abstract: A guide for use in determining the amount of growth to be trimmed from the outer peripheral margins of a plant, such as a garden shrub or the like. The guide includes an elongated, resilient member which can be bent along its length so that the member can assume any one of a number of different configurations defining the outline of the outer periphery of a plant to be trimmed. The member is stored in a housing such that only that length member required is dispensed, allowing the guide to be adjustable to perform on a wide range of plant sizes. First means coupled with the normally lowermost end of the member positions the latter near the lower margin of the outer periphery of the plant and second means near the normally uppermost end of the member positions the member near the upper margin of the plant. The second means includes structure for securing the upper end of the member at any one of a number of different angles with respect to the vertical so that the member itself assumes a desired configuration.