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Still reeling from sticker shock over the price tag on that beautifully sculpted topiary creation in the garden center? Not to worry--simple indoor or outdoor topiaries can be yours for the price of a potted tree or shrub, a pair of pruning shears, some ribbon, a little courage, and a fair amount of patience.
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 The Specimen
Shrubs or trees that are suitable for tall styles of topiary design include Alberta spruce, arborvitae, and Juniper. For wider sculpted pieces, globe arborvitae, boxwood, or privet are accommodating. For the classic topiary "ball on a stick" design, you'll need a tree with a straight leader that will grow up a stake.
The Technique: Spiral
This Alberta spruce had grown too large for the corner where it had been planted as a sapling. I needed to either remove it, or prune it to be less overpowering in the small space. Armed with my bypass shears and a roll of orange surveyor's tape, I decided to try my hand at designing a spiral topiary. The tree is about 6 feet tall, and the project too k me a little over two hours.
Look at your tree from all angles and decide just how sloping you want the spiral design to be. Take into consideration the height of the tree, and how wide the bottom is. The taller the tree, the closer together the spirals can be.
Start at the top and tie the ribbon to the tip, then lightly wind the ribbon around and down until you reach the bottom layer of branches. Tie the ribbon firmly.
Now step back and gauge how even the distances are between each strip; adjust all around until you have it just the way you want it to look when finished.
Starting halfway up the tree and cutting above the ribbon, prune away the first third of each branch. Work your way along the ribbon toward the top, stopping frequently to assess your work. Stop when you get to within about 12 inches from the top. Do not panic! The project will look terrible before it looks better--trust me.
Return to where you began and repeat the process, cutting below the ribbon. Again, remove the first third of each branch.
Step back and check to see that the spiral outline you've created will match the remainder of the ribbon on the bottom half of the tree. Adjust the ribbon if necessary.
Repeat the procedure for the lower half of the tree.
Now, this is the slow part. Start at the top of the tree and carefully follow each pruned branch back to the trunk; cut each one off about 1/2-inch from the main leader. Check frequently to be sure you're not taking smaller branches that make up the "spiral" you've created.
When your spiral is clearly defined, return to the tree top and blend the upper spiral into the tip.
Voila! DIY topiary! To learn about sculpting other simple shapes, do an Internet search for "how to topiary."
 | Toni Leland has been writing for over 20 years. She has written a biweekly gardening newspaper column as a spokesman for the Ohio State University Master Gardener program, and writes for Grit magazine and Romance Writers Report. She has been a gardener all her life, working soil all over the world. In her day job, she scripts and produces educational DVDs about caring for Miniature Horses, as well as writing and editing books about this unique height breed. |
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Subject: Great article
Posted by kfrakes (from New Concord, OH) on January 28, 2008 at 11:21 AM:Congratulations on your latest article, Toni ! And thanks for introducing me to Dave's Garden ... I'm hooked. Can't wait for spring. See you at MG.
Kathy F. ... Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on January 29, 2008 at 5:15 PM: Thanks Kathy!
The third in the series was posted today. [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
Glad you're now a DG'er! LOL
See you soon,
Toni ...
Subject: You make it look so easy
Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 23, 2008 at 6:25 AM:Very interesting subject. You make it look so easy. These are so lovely, I've seen several in various formal gardens in the area and didn't realize what was involved in shaping them. I thought it was far more complicated than it seems to be. Thanks for sharing the information. ... Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 23, 2008 at 3:34 PM: Yes, I agree completely with doccat5! You really do make it look easy. Wish I had something to try it on, but tropicals don't seem to grow that way. I have seen some folks make the "ball" type with a bougainvilla, but I don't like the result much...hmmm, gonna have to look around.
Yokwe,
Shari ... Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on January 23, 2008 at 6:27 PM: Thanks. I had to take a deep breath before I started, but it ended up being really fun and not so scary.
Shari, don't you have something growing there that gets shrubby? ... Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 23, 2008 at 7:23 PM: Just an Ixora, which I would be terrified to cut that much from! I'm still looking, who knows what I might find! ...
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