Topiaries are my favorite thing to make w/ dried flowers.
The main thing I've found helpful to remember is that it will take lots more material to cover even a fairly small topiary than you'd imagine. For example, a 3" rosebud topiary will require about 300 buds, or 6-8 oz. If the calyces on the rosebuds are long enough, sometimes it isn't even necessary to glue the bud, unless it feels wobbly.San Francisco Herb Co. has some nice pink rosebuds for topiaries. Fruits,nuts or pinecones would need to be hot-glued. Another type of topiary is one where the material is put on picks, and the picks then inserted into the foam. If you make this type, remember to start with a smaller form, because the material will add 2" or so, depending upon the length of the bundles you've added. I like to use dyed green goldenrod for the background on these types, then add clusters of accent flowers, but lots of other materials could be used, depending on the look you wanted. The easiest, but still elegant, topiaries are the ones covered with moss only. Design Master makes a Moss Green spray paint that can be used to touch them up after they fade. Terence Moore's Book "The Captured Harvest" has some nice examples of topiaries and other dried arrangements. Good luck with your projects!

Sylky00, I ended up making two topiaries so far and found out you are right about needing lots more material - now I know why they charge so much for topiaries in the shops - not to mention the time to make them - but it is great fun creating something like that. Thanks for the tips on the book and the green spray. I did just buy some moss and would like to make a moss only topiary - I saw a picture of one in a magazine or somewhere and it looked great.

The first topiary I made with two kinds of nuts, chestnuts and almonds in their shells, and hot glued them on a tree shaped form and glued in excelsior where you could see the styrofoam. I didn't make my trunk long enough though (its ok but I wish it was a bit longer) - forgot to allow for the part in the plaster of paris and the part inserted into the foam.

The second topiary I made with little lavender and yarrow bunches sticking out a bit but covered the form with excelsior beforehand. On that one the form is kind of loose on the trunk - I tried hot gluing but it didn't seem to hold. I may have try some florists clay or something else? When I was making the second one I was thinking if I put it on a lazy susan - it would help a lot - I may try that with the next one I make.

Thanks again.

Linda