Midwest Living Magazine Article
(The following article appeared in the April, 1999, issue of
"Midwest Living".
By Dennis Rodkin.
Photographs: John Reed Forsman, Guy Hurka, and Andy Lyons.)
topiary time!
Add living creations to your garden, yard and home
Pick a wire wreath form with sphagnum moss and vibrant pansies, then add a colorful bow of raffia. (Below) Variegated Carpet Bugle ajuga adorns a perky cat. |
 |
 |
Karen Thomson and her husband Brian, were looking for a way to use an old greenhouse behind their 129-year-old brick home in West Chicago. Then, Karen, remembered how popular topiaries were in South Carolina, where the couple used to live. Once the domain of elaborate public gardens, fanciful topiaries are winning fans across the Heartland. Part sculptures and part plants, topiaries make attractive additions to any yard, garden, or home. |
A wire form packed with sphagnum moss and sprigs of ivy can become a sleepy cat or cheery teddy bear to welcome guests at your gate. Tuck a giraffe into a secluded spot to be discovered by those who explore the far reaches of your garden. Or you can place a vine-covered topiary on a waterproof tray as an eye-catching centerpiece for your mantel or table. Karen, a professional horticulturist who grew up in Iowa, launched her topiary business 6 years ago. Today, she conducts topiary-making seminars and also sells kits and planted creations by mail. "Topiaries have a classic look," Karen says. "They're
very appealing in a garden, but you don't see them as often in the Midwest as you do in
the South." |
 |
 |
Karen Thomson (pictured) plants wooly thyme on the outside of
the watering can (right above) then adds sage and lavender. (Below) Gold Baby ivy
covers the candle-decked cone. |
 |
Midwesterners might worry that topiary plants
won't survive cold winters here, but Karen says that's not really a problem.
"You can use plants that withstand winter, or pull out the plants in fall and leave
the moss covered frame outside all winter," she explains. Another option is to give these lightweight creations indoor homes. Just carefully clean the leaves with an insecticide soap so bugs don't move inside, too. |
| Karen's catalog includes nearly 80 topiary frames from snails to manatees, stars to
teapots. Most cost $50 or less, though a few such as frames for large water birds
sell for as much as $295. You can also buy topiary supplies, including sphagnum moss, fishing line and U-shaped pins. Karen sells fig ivy too, which she says is the best plant for topiaries. Karen ships finished topiaries. But, following her tips, it's simple and affordable to make your own. With an investment of about $75 and 2 hours, you can make an ivy-covered frog or horse. Or choose a classic form such as a wreath. Try Making a Topiary It's easy to turn a bare-wire frame and heap of moss into a finished topiary, Karen says. Be sure to wear gloves to prevent any fungus that may be present in the moss from entering and infecting any open cuts on your hands. Karen recommends using almost any vigorous, small-leafed green or blooming plant. Most nurseries sell several good choices, including alyssum, ajuga, small-leafed ivies, licorice plant, lobelia, dwarf mondo grass, small sedums and woolly thyme. For a floral wreath, pansies or impatiens are good choices. Getting Started --- Let the moss soak, for about 10 minutes in a bucket of lukewarm water. Wring out the moss a handful at a time and stuff it into the frame, beginning with the legs, feet or other small parts. Once a section is full of moss, wrap it tightly with 12-pound clear fishing line. Gradually, the frame seems to disappear, and you'll have a moss-filled form. |
 |
 |
 |
To construct the seated bunny topiary (left), which waves from its perch on limestone ledge, Karen Thomson fills the form with sphagnum moss (above), then adds ivy to the main portion of the body. |
| Adding the plants --- Plants that you buy in 21/2-inch pots
are best, because their root balls are small. Karen recommends putting plants in a
topiary creatures main torso, rather than its limbs. If your topiary isn't an
animal, put plants in the bulkiest part of the shape. Use scissors to poke holes in the moss that are big enough for the plants' root balls. Insert the roots and fill around with extra moss. Don't try to cover the whole frame with plants, Karen advises. "If you do," she says, "the shape of the animal gets hidden when the plants grow. Besides, the moss has a nice look." Karen's suggests placing just three or four plants in any topiary. Use small pins or sections of florist's wire bent into a U shape to secure long ivy tendrils to the main form. Pins also can guide later growth to any part of the form you want to cover. Topiary care --- Place your topiary in a lightly shaded spot. It can survive in full sun, but you might need to water it daily in summer. Your can't really overwater topiaries, Karen says; most die from too little water. Misting won't give them enough moisture. Soak the plants once or twice a week with a garden hose or by dunking the entire topiary in a tub of water. You also can use a liquid fertilizer added to the water every other week. As plants grow trim the foliage with your scissors. You can find topiary forms and supplies at many garden shops. For Karen's catalog (free): Thomson Topiaries, 580 Crooked Lane, Barrington, IL 60010. Phone: 847-304-0830 . |