Garden Topiaries

Topiaries are the ideal addition to a formal garden. Using them to accent the garden entrance or arranging several in a pattern is a simple way to give your garden an up-scale look. If yours is a casual garden, though, letting the topiaries grow a little more freely and placing them in less common locations also works.

How to make a topiary

Sophisticated as they may look, a 4-foot topiary can be created for under $15.00. When choosing the plant to create your topiary from, consider its ability to cling or wind inself around a frame. Ivy geraniums are a favorite for their flowers and English ivy is often chosen for its foliage and wide availability. Next choose a container of at least 24" in diameter to allow for growth. Also, make sure the container is something you want seen in your garden because the plants will grow upward, leaving the entire pot visible. Buying a plain terra cotta pot and embellishing it with sponge painting or other designs adds a homey touch inexpensively.

When you've chosen your plant and pot, create a basic tripod frame for the plants to grow on. An ordinary wire tomato frame makes an perfect topiary frame, as well. If you have compost that is aged and useable for container plantings use that as it's a good source of nutrients. Otherwise purchase regular potting soil. This will be your greatest expense for the topiary if purchased.

Before adding an soil to the pot, set the topiary frame inside the container (if you're using a tomato frame, you'll want to set it upside down) It may be necessary to drill some holes into the container rim to accomodate the frame. The frame must be stable enough to hold not only the weight of the plant as it grows, but the pressure of you pushing and weaving in the tendrils and shoots as the plant grow.

Finally, fill the container with the potting soil and plant your plant and water it in. Now wind any tenrils that are long enough around the wire frame.

Maintaining a topiary

Topiary require only regular watering (although keep in mind potted plants dry out more quickly than plants in the open garden), standard care for the type of plant, and weaving any straggling growth into the topiary frame.

Topiary placement

Standing the topiary on top of a tree trunk or even on a low pedastal gives it a more stately, museum-piece look. These trained plants also look good in pairs framing the garden entrance or doorway of the house. Several pairs can be used to line a path way and make excellent "fixtures" for lighting.