Creating Topiaries for Your Garden

One of the fun things about going to Disney World is looking at the shrubs shaped like animals. Topiaries, however, have a long history of being used to add whimsy to a garden. They are a fun project for a special event in the garden, such as a wedding or graduation party.

What Is a Topiary

A topiary is a plant trained and/or pruned to look like a shape or creature. Different plants lend themselves to different sizes of topiaries.

Quick History

The first mention of topiaries was in the first century. Romans loved topiaries. However, when Rome fell, topiaries fell out of favor. They surfaced again in Medieval Europe as a way to train fruit trees. During the Italian Renaissance, topiaries were again in favor. The Dutch started making topiaries in the shape of animals. The English copied the Dutch, while France preferred geometric shapes. The Victorians used topiary shrubs a lot in their formal gardens. Walt Disney popularized topiaries in his theme parks. In the 1950s and 1960s, topiary houseplants were popular.

Types of Topiary

There are two general ways to create a topiary. The principal difference is the way the topiary is shaped.

Steel Frame

For a steel frame topiary, a shrub is planted in either the ground or a large container. The frame that has the desired shape of the topiary is fitted over the shrub. As the shrub grows, the branches are trained through the frame. The shrub is dense enough that the frame doesn't show once the shrub is finished growing on it. This type of topiary is very slow and can take 3-10 years.

Sphagnum Moss Form

The sphagnum moss form is a much quicker and easier way to make a topiary. A form made of chicken wire is filled with sphagnum moss. This is the growing medium for the plants that will form the topiary. Sphagnum moss topiaries can be grown in as little as three months, depending on the size of the form and the plants used.

Steps to Creating a Sphagnum Moss Topiary

Since steel frame topiaries are very maintenance intensive and take so long to grow, this article will deal with sphagnum moss topiaries.

Choose the Form

Topiary forms can be found at many nurseries, some craft stores, and online. They come in many shapes and sizes. The larger the form, the more expensive it will be. The amount of sphagnum moss can be costly for large forms. Larger forms also take longer to grow out. Pick smaller forms until you are sure you enjoy growing topiaries.

Pack the Form

Pack the sphagnum moss tightly into the form so it will hold its shape well. If you have a large form, put sphagnum moss around the edges of the form to a depth of three inches. Fill the center of the form with packing peanuts. You may have to cut sections of the wire out so you can fill the form with moss.

Plant the Form

Using rooted plants, place the plants into the moss by sticking them through the wire. The plants will grow on the outside of the wire and cover the frame. The best way to get the topiary to fill up fast is to plant lots of seedlings all over the frame. Use florist's tape to attach the stems to the form as the plants grow.

Water Is Vital

Do not let the sphagnum moss dry out or the plants will wilt and die. Topiaries usually require quite a lot of water to grow. If the topiary is small enough, put it in the bathtub in about two inches of water, then let it soak for 15 minutes. Drain the water and let the form drip dry for another 15 minutes, then put it back where it grows. Outside topiaries should be soaked frequently to keep the moss moist.

Plants for Topiaries

The plants you use for topiaries depend on the shape you want the finished topiary to take, whether the plants are in containers or in the ground, and whether the containers are inside or outside. Spreading plants that root along the stem as they grow work well in topiaries.

Final Shape

Many times, plants for topiaries are chosen to simulate fur or feathers. You might even mix the type of plants used so different parts of the animal or bird have different colors of fur or feathers. If you mix plants, make sure they all have the same sun, moisture, and fertilizer requirements. Small forms should have plants with small leaves and stems, or the plant will be too large to look good.

Containers versus In Ground

You can place a form in a container or in the ground. Make sure the form is anchored properly so wind doesn't push it over. Large, heavy pots work best. Inside, pots can be smaller because there is no wind. However, the form still needs to be anchored by a stake because the roots won't be in the soil to keep the form from tipping over. Wet moss and a frame filled with plants gets heavy.

Inside or Outside

If the topiary is going to be inside, you have a somewhat larger palette of plants to choose from. Houseplants that will not survive outside in your zone can be used. Some people put a container on a furniture dolly and keep it outside during the summer. When winter comes, they just wheel it inside.

Suggested Plants

A fast-growing vine such as English Ivy or Virginia Creeper works well for outside topiaries over a form. Creeping phlox will provide a colorful topiary when it is in bloom and grows quickly. Pollinators like the flowers, too. Just about any fast-growing plant that would be considered a spiller in an arrangement will work.

Boxwood shrubs are the classic plant for steel frames. The romans used cypress trees for steel frame topiaries.

Maintenance of Topiaries

Frequent pruning is necessary to keep the topiary looking like the form. You will have to continue to attach stems to the form and prune those that do not fit for the life of the topiary.

Topiaries will need to be fertilized with a water-soluble fertilizer frequently. They get all their nutrients from fertilizer because the moss doesn't contain what the plants need to grow well. Over time, some of the moss may break down. If a bald spot appears, check to see if you have to add more moss.