Ivy topiary help please?

[Guest]

Hi,

I know this is a bit random and had no idea where abouts was best to start the thread. But I would like at some point to create a four foot ivy topiary dinosaur

similar to the one in the link below (only better )

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or...183b4b47f9.jpg

My issue is what would be best for the planting medium or keeping the medium down to a min. in order to plant the ivy rather than training it from the base up? any suggestions would be great as always

[Kristen]

If the ivy was planted in the ground then just a wire frame to train it over would be fine.

Are you "arty" enough to make the frame? Frames that I have seen, for sale, are expensive (if they are any sort of half decent size)

[Guest]

Yes I am arty farty and stubborn (unfortunately)

[Kristen]

OK, you just need a roll of galvanised wire then (well ... an Ivy plant will come in handy too, and a set of those sad looking eyes )

Dunno if he does that sort of climber-over-wire type stuff, but I have some books on Topiary and Japanese style plant growing by Jake Hobson, and I have found them very useful.

Jake Hobson cloud pruning specialist & topiary expert

[Guest]

Thank you Kristen

[WPG]

I think it looks really cute (though a bit more dog-like than dinosaur maybe). Good luck with the project Norfolkgrey, make sure to take photos.

Am intrigued how you'd get the soil to stay inside the frame (if I've understood the design). I'm wondering if you'd line inside the frame with damp cardboard at the start, to keep the soil in place, and then gradually replace that with the moss?

I guess for the growing medium it'd be similar principles to a hanging basket - plenty of water crystals and slow release fertiliser in a peat-based compost. Leaf mould too, if you have any. I guess if you want to keep the dinosaur light enough to carry, then you could also pack out the innards with polystyrene. Ivy doesn't seem to need too much soil to root in, although I've found ivy in pots does tend to dry out rather easily.