Let’s DIY a Faux Topiary!

Do you use artificial plants outside? I never thought I would, but I have used faux vines & trees in places that I either couldn’t plant or didn’t want to plant real ones. For this project, I bought a faux topiary to be ‘planted’ in a heavy pot on our deck. In the past, I’ve planted flowers in the pot, but since the pot sits on the lower deck, I found it hard to remember to water the flowers so they wouldn’t last long.

Here are the places where I’ve used faux plants. Click on the pictures if you want to see those projects.

Planter size

Faux topiary

Once I decided to use a faux topiary, I did some research to see where they were sold locally. I found one at the At Home store that I thought might work. When I got to the store, though, it looked a little too small for the planter. They had a double topiary, but I didn’t want to spend the extra $20. As I wondered whether or not the 17″ tall topiary was large enough, I saw that they also sell individual topiary balls. Hmmm…maybe I could attach it somehow? I bought a 6″ ball for $6.99 to give it a try if needed.

Step 1 – Check size

I looked around my potting bench to find something that I could set under the pot the topiary came in to raise it in the planter. I started with a plastic pot from the nursery that had held a perennial. It was too tall and so I cut it. When I set the topiary on it, it was still too tall. I pressed down on the topiary and the plastic pot split open. Back to square one! I then tried a metal bucket, but it was also too tall. I then tried a cottage cheese container (I save these to use in the garage for painting projects). It was also too tall, but once I cut off the rim, it fit perfectly, bringing the topiary pot to the right height!

Step 2 – Add filler & soil

Because the pot is heavy and also because I didn’t want to use a lot of garden soil, I cut an old pool noodle to use as filler. I stacked the pieces around the cottage cheese container then filled the planter with soil.

Step 3 – Add topper? Yes!

I wasn’t exactly sure how to add the little ball but since I wanted it to look like it came as a double topiary, I needed to find a piece of wood. I didn’t have far to look; we have a large maple tree in the backyard that has some low-lying branches. Using garden loppers, I cut a branch that was about an inch in diameter. After removing the leaves, using my miter saw, I cut a 8″ piece from the end of the branch. To attach the top piece to the branch and the branch to the large topiary ball, I used a hot glue gun. Now, it looks like it fits the planter!

Oooops!

Redesign

Time to figure out how I want to reattach the top. Yes, I could use hot glue again. Or, I could use another type of glue like E6000. But, since I have some on hand, I think I’ll use a double-sided screw for the job. When I moved the small ball, the branch came off. Evidently, the glue failed on that end too.

The first step I took was to drill a hole in the small ball where it had been glued to the branch. I inserted one end of a double-sided screw. Next, I drilled a hole in one end of the branch and screwed the other end of the screw into it. After those were together, I drilled a hole in the bottom of the branch that was not connected to the small ball and twisted one end of the 2nd screw into that hole. Then I drilled a hole in the top of the large topiary ball and twisted the screw at the end of the branch into the hole. This process should hold the two together well.

Finished topiary

Thoughts on the project

As I look back on this project, I think about whether it would have been better to just buy the double topiary. I suppose the answer depends on what you consider ‘better’. Would it have been faster? Yes. Cheaper? No. As much fun? No. So, if you love DIY and making one of a kind things, you’ll love this project! If you prefer ready-made, then buying the double topiary is the way to go. Either way, you’ll have a nice looking ‘plant’ that requires very little care 🙂

Topiary: Before, during, after

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