Garden Topiary Frames

Topiary is the delightful art of creating sculptures in trees and shrubs. This much loved European art form date back to ancient Rome.

While it doesn't take an Edward Scissorhands to create the stunning, lush creations of topiary, it does take talent and years to perfect the craft unless you use frames!

Regardless of your skill level, topiary frames will make you look like a pro gardener

Topiary Frames How To's

• For years of carefree enjoyment look from frames made of sturdy and galvanized wire with spot welded construction.

• Soak sphagnum moss or green moss in water with a weak solution of fertiizer until it is pliable.

• Stuff the moss in the frame until it is fully packed.

• Secure the moss with clear craft or fishing line.

• Moss-only topiary are beautiful and require no care other than infrequent touch ups but if you want the wow effect, add plants, ivy or other vines.

• Chose your plants and make individual hole in the moss to receive the roots. Leave as much of the soil on the roots as possible. Add moss as necessary.

• Secure the plants to the frame with flower wire.

• Provide the nutrients, water, light and pest control applicable to the vegetation you selected.

• Have fun with training.  Use flower wires to train the plants' growth direction and don't forget to add some sculpting to your design.

• Plants can be easily replaced if they fail to thrive or changed with the season. Don't be afraid to add blooming flowers in the spring.

• Placement is everything.  Put a giraffe next to a trellis, a mermaid beside the pool, a sleepy cat on the patio or a boxer to watch over your roses.

Best Plants for Topiary Frames

• Baby's tears
• Begonia
• Boxwood
• Climbing Hydrangea
• Creeping fig
• Cypress Vine
• English Ivy
• Fleece vine
• Hemlock
• Lavender
• Myrtle
• Pine
• Rosemary
• Yew.

Don't limit yourself to the above list. Use your sense of color and whimsy to explore the wonderful world of topiary.

Lion topiary credit
Bunny topiary credit
Epcot topiary credit

Best Indoor Plants for Bonsai

People in every culture have been decorating with potted plant for centuries. However, no container plant has had more attention than the Bonsai.  This potted miniature tree's popularity took seed around 1800 in Japan when it evolved from the Chinese Penzai into an art form and was renamed Bonsai. The oldest known living bonsai tree is in the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is thought to be at least 500 years old; making its way in the world in 1610.

If you want to train a bonsai, understand that it is an art form not a specific plant.  Traditionally, bonsai are outdoor trees and do not adapt well to the warmth of the typical home. However, its popularity, especially in American, has prompted the cultivation of tropical and sub-tropical trees for indoor use.

While you can train any woody plant into a bonsai, the evergreen and other temperate trees will not fare well indoor without some skill and exquisite care.  Make life and the art of bonsai easy by investing in one of these beautiful indoor plants that will happily be sculpted to your artist heart's desire.

Best Indoor Plants for Bonsai

Click to Buy Baby Jade

Crassula ovata arborescens or the BABY JADE plant is a very popular succulent bonsai. Native to South Africa with round, pale green leaves. Jades store water in their fleshy leaves as well as their trunk and branches.  They require less care than the average bonsai.  Just make sure they are dry before you water again. They can also stand less than bright full light. Good choice for the beginner.

Dracaena marginata or DRAGON PLANT is a palm style bonsai. Native to Madagascar, the Dragon  has a thin trunk and center focused mass of narrow pointed green leaves with gorgeous red to purple stripes. Dragons are easy to care for as long as you don't over water.  They can tolerate less than full light. The   Dragon is especially healthful for your home's air quality.

Click to Buy a Dragon

Click to Buy Weeping Fig

Ficus benjamina or WEEPING FIG train well in the classical, upright form. Native to India and Malaya it has bright shiny dark green leaves and develops a thick trunk at early age. Shown here is the Ginseng Weeping Fig, which  is especially durable for indoor living. Likes full direct sunshine for at least part of the day and dislikes drafts. You will find its care more inline with the average houseplant.

Ficus neriifolia or WILLOW LEAF FIG is also known as the Mexician Ficus. It has small enlongated, light green leaves and is a natural for the the traditional bonsai size and shape. Shown is the  Shohin (tiny thing) bonsai. Shohin should not exceed 10" in height.  It has all the beauty of a large tree in miniature.  Does well in low and moderate lighting. For the true miniature lover.

Click to Buy Willow Fig

Click to Buy Dwarf Jade

Portulacaria afra or DWARF JADE is one of the easiest indoor trees to care for.  It is not a true jade plant and is much hardier that its namesake. Will tolerate  low light and  short periods of dryness. Its  compact growth make it easy to train in many bonsai styles.  But take care with wire training as the leaf pads can easily break off. Great for beginners and bonsai artists.

Schefflera arboricola or HAWAIIAN UMBRELLA TREE is one of the most popular indoor bonsai.  It has tiny dense green umbrella shaped leaves that form a little canopy.  Tolerates low light but doesn't like to dry out.  Easier to train that the standard bonsai and can be done with just some pinching and pruning. It is not the best choice if you have children and pets because all parts are poisonous Recommend for the inexperienced or green thumb challenged.

Click to Buy Hawaiian Umbrella

A DIY Craft and Great Gift Idea Too!

Try this Do It Yourself project for an indoor herb garden or flower  sanctuary  to bring joy to your home or give as a gift.

This is a great project for the kids or grand kids with adult supervision.  The pride and responsibility of taking care of a living things will last them a lifetime.

This is also a great gift for a housebound loved ones that misses the garden.  And of course it is a beautiful addition to any home decor.

Here’s what you need:

• Pre-made wooden window box
• 2 plastic containers that fit comfortably in the window box
• Optional: wood water sealant for inside the wooden box
• Sandpaper
• Electric drill, bracket and screws for attaching to wall
• Acrylic paints: white and colors of your choice
• Stencils or an artist ability
• Gloss overcoat
• 2" paint brush and sponges for the stencils
• Potting pebbles
• Nursery quality soil
• Herbs and/or flowers

Method:

1. Smooth the outside window box with sandpaper use gain-directinon strokes until all rough edges are smooth
2. Optional: apply water sealant inside the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
3. Apply two coats of white base to the outside of the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
4. Decorate with colored paint using stencils of  hearts, leaves, lattice, animals etc.
5. Dry over night and apply two coats of gloss to the outside of the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
6. Attach bracket to the wall just under the window
7. Place 1 of the plastic container boxes in the wooden box
8. Remove the drain covers from the 2nd plastic container and place it in the 1 container
9. Line the 2nd container with a dense layer of pebbles end to end
10. Fill with soil mix, flowers and/or herbs
11. Water without over saturating
12. Fertilize often with a slow release variety
13. Check the 1 plastic container monthly or as needed for excess water disposal

Best Herbs for your Box Garden:

• Lavender
• Geranium
• Chives
• Mint Sage
• Oregano

Best Plants for your Box Garden

• African Daisy
• Begonia
• Ground Ivy
• Black-eyed Susan
• Marigold

How to Garden in Containers

Just because you don't have chunk of land doesn't mean you can't have a great garden; just put it in a pot!

Whether your plants need mobility due to living in an apartment or living in your office or you just like the aesthetics of container gardening, pots have come a long way in design and functionality.

But don't rely on what you can buy; using your imagination almost anything is fair game as long as it has a drain hole or two. Before you toss that old chair, wheel barrel, kitchen sink or boot think: what could I plant in that.

Container gardens aren't just for city dwellers. They make a great artist addition to any garden. Don't forget hanging baskets and windowsill gardens to add some good old Southern charm to your home.

There aren't many rules to container gardening but be aware of a few:

• Remember your contained plants can't go searching (with their roots) for water or food. They will need more time and attention than yard plants so before you set a single plant in the pot, commit to its care.If you select a large barrel-type pot, use a long stick to check for over or under watering. The stick will also help aerate the soil, just don't poke too much and upset your roots.

• You will want to replace the container soil, or at least the top portion of it, yearly. If you grow annuals, start afresh every year, otherwise you can remove all the loose soil and replace around the perennials.

• A slow release fertilizer works best in containers. Use the correct soil for the plant. Some plants are acid lovers, other demand an alkaline soil. Add some organic materials occasionally but don't over fertilizer; there's nowhere for excess to go.

• Don't mix edible with non-edible plants. Some plants are poisonous, other just change the taste of your edible bounty. Don't take a chance on gastric upset.

The Art of Container Gardening

Container gardening is art so let it bring out the Picasso in you.

• Give it a trial run - lay out your plants before taking them out of their little containers to get the best design possible.

• Color it pretty - contrast colored plants make a more drama statement. Likewise, a single color in a variety of species and shades will capture the attention.

• Keep it balanced - big pots need big plants and vice versa. Rule of thumb is the plants should be 1 ½ times the height of the container. Balance the tall plants with shorter and trailing plants.

• Find a superstar - one plant should be a total knockout and the focal point of your creation. Find that plant first and find complementary ones to work around it.

• Pick potmates - when your sharing a pot, you better get along with your potmates. Choice plants with similar light, soil and watering requirements. Otherwise, one will be drooping while the other is thriving. Planting cactus and iris together will never work.

Now go get your container and start planting!