topiary

any suggestions for trying a very simple topiary using creeping fig?

I have made topiaries many times. A topiary can easily be made with a 8" rubber ball, some chicken wire, a 2" dowl rod, and a creeping ficus (or any indoor vine)in a pot.

Cover the ball with chicken wire, forming it around the ball. and cutting off the excess. You can spray the chicken wire form green if you want.

Remove the ball, fill the new form with moist sphagnum moss, fasten the loose ends of the chicken wire, and run the dowl rod through all, to the middle of the dowl rod.

Fasten the base of the ball to the dowl rod with staples or small nails or a glue gun.

Place the dowl rod/form into the pot with your vine. Make another ball, as above, and attach it to the top of the dowl rod. Attach it as above. You can add as many ball-shaped forms as your dowl rod will allow.

Begin wrapping the vine around the dowl rod and forms. Mist often with a spray bottle, to which you have added a small amount of fertilizer. The plant will grow through the wire and into the moss. Don't forget to keep the plant roots moist, too.

Put some red bows or small ornaments on it for christmas - really pretty! I have made some in which I put fresh flowers in small florist vials and stuck them into the moss - you can do anything you can imagine.

that is so cool!!!!!!! i can't wait to try it---thanks! i bought a topiary book and am trying something very basic--just a free form wire in a pot with the vines growing around it-

Post pictures when you make one.