Adding a topiary is a great way to bring your container gardening to new heights. Topiaries add a distinctive look to your home. That’s why gardening expert Jessie Mack Burns is showing you the DIY basics for creating topiary containers...and some of the plants you’ll need for this project.
Topiaries come in all shapes and sizes. While you probably think of them being used primarily in formal design, there are plenty of informal options as well. Although many different types of plants can be trained to grow in a topiary form, English Ivy is the most common. It has very strong trailing habits, which means it can be easily trained to grow along your topiary form. English Ivy thrives both indoors and out.Steps: - Choose a wire topiary form that is the right height and shape for your container. The diameter of the widest part of the topiary should equal the width of your pot.
- Place the form into your container, making sure it’s secure.
- Use ivy plants that have very long tendrils. Plant the ivy around your form and use the longest tendrils to wrap around the wire pole.
- A trick to help train the ivy is to use stretch plant ties. Wrap them around the pole at three locations. The plant ties will act as a guide and hold the ivy in place as it establishes itself.
Note: An ivy topiary will do well indoors or out, but make sure it does not stay in direct sunlight for more than a few hours. Be sure to keep the soil moist. Ivy does not always bounce back if left too dry. A big key to your topiary growing big and lush is to stick to a regular watering schedule.
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