At a glance
Visitors to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens this summer might think the courtyards and biomes have been invaded by giant Chia Pets.
Last weekend, the conservatory unveiled its seasonal exhibit, “Topiaries at the Conservatory: Wild Wonders,” consisting of carefully cultivated plants grown around steel frames to resemble a lion, a giraffe, a red panda, a butterfly and a sea turtle, to name a few.
Most of the 14 figures are life-sized (the butterfly is much bigger than life, obviously) and will be on display through Oct. 29.
Behind the scenes, for the past several months, conservatory officials have been planting and nurturing the foliage.
“Some of them have grown Topiaries at the Conservatory: Wild Wonders Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1777 E. Broad St. 614-715-8000, fpconservatory.org 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily included with conservatory admission of $14, or $11 for age 60 and older, $7 for age 3 to 12, free for members and age 2 and younger
quite vigorously,” said Amanda Bettin, the conservatory’s senior horticulture manager. “We’ve had to give them numerous haircuts already, and those will continue all season long. People might see some of us giving those haircuts.”
Conservatory officials contracted with Joe Kyte of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, known as “Topiary Joe” for his expertise in constructing the steel forms.
Kyte created the forms and filled the tubes with sphagnum moss. When Bettin and her crew received those forms in February, they set about implanting thousands of inch-high seedlings into the moss through small holes in the frame.
A wide variety of plants was used. English ivy gives a gray tint to the three elephants. The succulents on the gazelle would be found in that animal’s desert habitat. A mix of begonias gives the three flamingoes their pink hue.
A final touch was provided by Garet Martin, a horticulture designer at the conservatory. Martin put his background as a painter and sculptor to good use, carving faces out of clay and adding eyes.
“We wanted to differentiate ourselves from some other gardens or parks that have done topiary shows,” Martin said. “I think it gives them more personality.”
The conservatory included an educational component to the exhibit, as well. Signs describe each represented animal (most of which are endangered) and identify the plants used in each.
Martin said he thinks the exhibit has something for everyone.
“I hope what we created was a multi-layered experience,” he said. “For plant nerds, they will appreciate the labor that goes into it. It also is a trip around the world, so to speak, and I think we all love animals.
“And then for children, there’s that sense of wonderment. If you’re walking through the rain-forest biome and look up and see a gorilla, it really brings that space to life.”