Homemade Topiary

Growing a Topiary Plant

• While you can basically trim any plant with a lush outer layer of foliage or growth into a topiary shape, to truly start from scratch you can grow your own plant specifically catered to topiary trimming. According to MarthaStewart.com, plant the seeds of a woody or shrubby plant (such as laurel or dogwood), and once a stem appears, vertically attach a stake, which will guide its growth upward. Use a soft tape to attach the stake (using a green-colored tape will help hide its appearance). As your plant grows, the above source recommends applying another band of tape every two inches. Any horizontal plant growth that appears should be cut away (using trimmers), as this will cause it to grow back fuller. Once your plant has reached its desired height, you can trim off the top of its stem, or terminal shoot, which will stunt its vertical growth. Keep trimming back horizontal growth until it is lush enough to shape.

  Depending on the desired shape, you may want to hold a straight-edge up against the foliage vertically and trim off the excess to produce a straight, flat surface. You can also do the same to the top of your plant by holding your straight-edge horizontally. Repeating this process on four sides of the plant, and on its top and bottom will produce a cube-shaped topiary. For a spherical topiary, use an arms-length of garden wire and curve it so that if it were to continue it would form a circle. Hold this against your foliage and trim away what sticks out, and eventually you will have a sphere.

Making an Artificial Topiary

• If gardening is not your forte, you can always create a homemade, artificial topiary plant. All of the supplies you will need can be found at a local art supply store, although you will likely already have most of the items you need at home.

  According to AllFreeCrafts.com, you can make the stem or vertical shoot of your topiary plant using a straight twig or stick from the backyard. By cutting a Styrofoam ball in half, and fitting it snuggly into a weighted flowerpot (such as one made from ceramic, or a plastic one with rocks, pebbles, or sand in the bottom), you can make a base for the stem. Simply penetrate the Styrofoam with your stem until it is wedged in place. Decorate the base by hot gluing moss around the stem. For the foliage of your topiary, decorate another Styrofoam ball (not cut in half), by gluing flowers, lace, and other ornamental items onto it. Then, holding on to the stem, you can stick the Styrofoam ball on to the top, completing your homemade, artificial topiary plant.