Types of Topiary

Topiary frames – adding intensity to your garden

So many options, so little time

Free-form topiary: This is the oldest form of topiary. You can prune and shear free-standing shrubs and trees into geometric forms such as balls, squares, or rectangles, not recommended for complex shapes. Herb topiaries, like rosemary, thyme, and lavender, are favorite choices.

Shrub topiary: This type requires lots of time, from three to ten years to produce a significant sculpture. It requires a plant that will shear well, is naturally full, and is fairly fast-growing (but not too fast, or it will require too much shearing). Start with young plants that haven't gotten woody. Older plants may have trunks that don't hide well and may "sunburn" if severely shaped.

Sphagnum topiary: Popular for producing quick results. These are grown using heavy steel frames stuffed with sphagnum. The frames must be sturdy as they are the only support for these figures. It is an independent structure with no roots in the ground. Very detailed shapes can be constructed with frames.

Saguaro topiary is the made from the largest cactus in the USA, commonly reaching a height of 12 meters and an age of up to 200 years. This is one of the most popular forms of topiary because of its beauty and originality.

Care and maintenance

Place the topiary where it will receive bright sunlight – outdoors in the summer is fine if you give it a chance to acclimate first so the leaves don't sunburn – or in a south or east exposure windowsill.

The topiary must be kept moist. You should check it every day or two, and whenever the surface feels dry, sprinkle the entire topiary, spray it with a kitchen sprayer in your sink, or dunk it in a pail of water to make sure that the entire figure remains moist. Never allow the topiary to dry out, but don't let it sit in water either.

Sphagnum moss provides no nutrients, so fertilize the plants every other week during the growing season and once a month in the winter. Apply the fertilizer AFTER watering the plant first.

Maintain the topiary's shape by trimming the plants or pinning runners to the moss until any bare spots are filled in.

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