Do you remember the famous movie Edward Scissorhands? The movie had a reclusive central character played by Johnny Depp having scissors for hands and creating masterpieces on bushes and hedges. The art of topiary is producing living pictures of animals, plants, or simply beautifying architecture with landscaped plants and bushes. To many people the word topiary brings to mind bushes cut into the shape of animals and plants.
A potted history of topiary!
Julius Caesar was the person commended with having started the practices of topiary but with the fall of the Roman Empire the practice of topiary become defunct. But it's not difficult to seen distinct influences in old English gardens with box-wood hedges and mazes made of clipped and interwoven hedges. So how do you go about making a simple topiary for your garden? Is there any specific style you would like? Let's find out!
Special types of trees which can be used!
Yaupon holly, Bay trees, Eugenia, Ligustrum, Buxus balls, Lemon trees, Azalea, Italian cypress, Podocarpus, Olive trees, Pyracantha, Yew trees and Upright Junipers are all preferred plants for use in topiary in Florida. Although these plants can grow beautifully, with large vines and leaves, you should have the patience to train them to grow in a specific direction.
Techniques for a good topiary!
A better technique to get rapid results is to train a plant over a wire form to get wonderfully shaped pictures. There are two basic methods which are used for this,
1. Creeping vines like ivy are bound and tied over a special tubular chicken wire frame. The chosen trees are then allowed to grow gradually over the already shaped frame.
2. Slow growing vines and mossy covers like euonymus can be slowly stretched over special frames made of hardware cloth stuffed with sphagnum moss. The plant grows and as it grows pushes roots in to the moss, So its definitely necessary to provide a large amount of water to the moss as well as to the roots, and the pot or ground.
With both methods you should be able to get a special tubular chicken wire and shape it into the frame you want to use. Build the primary shape first and then stuff it with canvas. As long as you choose a fast growing topiary plant you should have a good design going in about a month or so. Good luck and don't forget to water the plant and moss well!
Topiary Tip #1
You must use patience when tending and creating your topiary project. They grow slowly and if you rush and trim too much or too deep into your topiary plant you could wind up killing it.
|
Topiary Tip #2
If you do not have a green thumb or don't have the time to take care of a live topiary plant that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your own topiary. Take a look at some of the artificial topiary creations that are made out of silk. They are extremely lifelike, require zero maintenance and will last forever.
|
Topiary Tip #3
Start Small. If you are new to creating and growing topiary, then it is highly recommended that you start with a small topiary project like a ball or a vine ladder and stick with that until you get the hang of it. It would be a shame to get into a project over your head and wind up ruining your topiary.
|
|
|
