How to grow your own topiary
A potted peacock, spiral conifer or box ball doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. It’s easy to grow your own
– all it takes is time.
For a fancy shape such as a rabbit, hen or peacock, start with a topiary frame, which you can buy from garden centres. Three-dimensional shapes give the most realistic topiary, but 2D shapes are fine for using in pots.
Next you need a rooted cutting or young plant of any suitable species – yew, box or rosemary are the classics, but if you just want a sphere or dome shape then santolina, thuja or myrtle can also be used.
Plant your shrub in the ground or in a large frost-proof container and fit a frame over it. Tie the main stems of the plant to the frame for support and use the frame as a guide when you’re clipping. Snip little and often, so the shape thickens up from the start.
If you want faster results, buy a large, well-filled plant and clip it into a simple shape such as a
sphere, pyramid or dome.
Or for even quicker results, plant an ivy or other fast-growing evergreen climber and train it around a topiary frame.
Train a spiral conifer by starting with a young plant, with a soft, whippy main stem, and tying it round the coils of a spiral topiary frame. The shape will “set” later.