Floral designer Meg Gilliland doles out tips for creating unique topiaries.
- Topiaries are generally trained in the same pot for a long period of time, which keeps the plant's roots trapped. To make sure a plant is getting enough water, keep a saucer underneath it to give it extra time to soak up the water.
- Topiaries come in several shapes and varieties. Standard ones are typically made of ivy and shrubs that are fashioned into unique shapes.
- Topiaries can also be made from fresh-cut flowers. Once the flowers dry, they will continue to be a beautiful topiary and will last a long time. Appropriate flowers include hydrangeas or small sunflowers. Instead of a metal or wooden stick as the base of the topiary, the stems of flowers become the base. You can purchase flowers at a florist or even some supermarkets.
- After combining flowers to make a globe shape, tie the stems together just under the flower heads. An alternative to using florists' wire is to tie the stems together with a pipe cleaner or even a green twist tie.
- A great way to decorate stems is to wrap them with colored ribbon.
- Instead of using floral foam in your container, sink the stems into garden soil from your backyard. Wet the soil first to make it easier to work with.
- Recycled nursery containers are a great pot to use for making topiaries. Construct the topiary in the pot, then place the nursery container in a decorative terra-cotta pot such or even a recycled can. By using a decorative pot in this way, you can change the pot with the seasons.
- Moss is a good way finish off a topiary. Place the moss in the pot to cover the soil and keep the topiary standing up straight. Moss can be found at most florists and/or craft store.
