Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Make Disney Topiaries
How to Make Disney Topiaries. There are three types of topiaries that you can make -- free-form, shrub and sphagnum. Free-form is where you cut an already grown shrub or tree into a shape with shears or other cutting instrument. Shrub is where you place a metal frame over a growing plant, which can take up to 10 years. Sphagnum is where you make a...
There are three types of topiaries that you can make -- free-form, shrub and sphagnum. Free-form is where you cut an already grown shrub or tree into a shape with shears or other cutting instrument. Shrub is where you place a metal frame over a growing plant, which can take up to 10 years. Sphagnum is where you make a form using moss and plant plugs, which grow to form the desired shape. If you do not have the skills and talent to form a shrub into a Disney character yourself or don't have the time involved for a shrub topiary, then the logical choice is a sphagnum topiary.
Things You'll Need
Frame
Sphagnum moss
Latex gloves
Bucket
Dish soap
Fishing line
Scissors
Plant plugs
Dibble
Select your frame. This can be your favorite Disney character or character that fits your theme, if you are making more than one. There are many places to buy these frames, including gardening websites, craft stores or through a catalog.
Put on your latex gloves. Always wear protective gloves when handling the sphagnum moss from your topiary. This lowers the risk of fungal disease and allergic reactions from the moss.
Fill a bucket with water and add a drop of dish soap.
Submerge your sphagnum moss in the bucket of water until it is completely wet.
Stuff your frame with the sphagnum moss, filling in the extremities first. This includes arms, legs, ears, tail, bows or any other area the moss may have a hard time growing into.
Feel around to see if you can feel the frame when pressing on the sphagnum moss, and look to see if all the wires are covered. If so, you are done stuffing the frame. If not, continue until both requirements are met.
Tie fishing line tightly around the frame and the sphagnum moss, several times, along the curves and angles of the frame. Make sure not to use too much, as you don't want to be able to see the line.
Trim any hanging moss, but remember you won't be able to see the sphagnum moss once the plants have grown.
Dig holes for your plugs with a dibble. How many holes you need and how far apart they need to be will depend on what type of plant you choose to use. The most popular type is creeping fig, but any small plants that clump will work.
Hold the frame in one hand and press the dibble down into the moss, turning it clockwise, with the other hand. Go as far as you can into the sphagnum moss with the dibble.
Put a plug into the new hole immediately, before the moss closes up the hole.
Cover the hole with wet sphagnum moss and stick in outside in the sunshine. Remember to fertilize the plants regularly.
