better outdoor living at home spring


Ivy Covered Twig Wreath Topiary


I am finally getting around to posting the second part of my twiggy branch wreath project, which is an ivy covered twig wreath topiary. It’s amazing how many things we all try to get done during the summer, and then fall behind because it is such a busy season! I really thought I would be posting about this project sooner!

 

I started the project off by making a twiggy branch wreath, so that I could then create this topiary for my front porch stoop. I saw a project that inspired me on a neighbor’s porch, but it looked like their topiary wreath was a single thick metal circle instead of a twig wreath. I just thought a twig wreath would add to the beauty and interest of the project, and look pretty with the ivy growing on it.

 

 

 

After I made the wreath, I had to find a way to support it in a large old weathered clay pot that I have. I wasn’t sure what to use, but Kathy (my sister & co-founder of this blog!) suggested using the same branches that I made the wreath with, only thicker ones. So I cut two thicker branches to the length I needed, crisscrossed them, and wired them together in the center of the ‘X’.

 

 

 

I secured them to the lower part of the wreath with wire.

 

 

They fit into the clay pot like this –

 

 

 

Then I filled the planter will potting soil while making sure the wreath and the support stayed centered in the planter.

 

 

 

 

I did add more soil to the planter after this photo was taken. The lower part of the wreath is covered with soil.

 

 

 

I have so much English ivy in my yard that cutting sprigs for this project was not a problem. I cut the vines into 2 different lengths – shorter ones for the perimeter, and longer ones for the perimeter but also for wrapping them up around the wreath. The vines have tiny rootlets on them that needed to be in the soil so they can take up water. I planted the vines around the perimeter of the clay pot with the vine branch under the soil and the leaves above the soil.

 

 

 

 

 

I could have let the ivy grow up around the wreath on its own, but I gave it a little head start  –

 

 

 

This topiary is in the shade most of the day, but I still make sure it has plenty of water while the ivy is acclimating itself. I mist the vines that are wrapped around the wreath for more moist and to give those rootlets a drink since they’re not in soil.

 

 

 

I think that after a while, the vines will grow without the fuss, and will do fine with just an occasional watering.

 

I’ll post an update photo when it has a chance to grow and get a lot fuller. I’m hoping it will look as great as that neighbor’s ivy wreath topiary does!

 

Have you ever made an ivy topiary?

~M

 

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