Ken Selody, owner of Atlock Farm in Somerset, N.J., believes that for indoor decorating, topiaries are "without equal." His nursery features a variety of annuals and perennials for sale, many of which have been made into topiaries. Indoor topiaries, he says, require as much light, either natural or artificial, as they can possibly get. Keep a close eye on watering needs: because topiaries are cut so that the foliage grows tightly, it is not always possible to see when the plant is wilting because of lack of water. Myrtle or Victorian rosemary are two of his favorite choices for hardy topiaries.
In Manhattan, classical musician Tony Strilko loves the challenge of growing topiary plants. In the summer his collection resides outside, soaking up the New York sun. In winter, Strilko brings his topiaries inside and grows them under artificial lights. When it comes to pruning, he says, you just need a good eye and a willingness to go through some trial and error to achieve the desired look for plants. If you make a mistake, the plant will always grow back--just like bad haircuts do.
