Hi Billie,
My son is just starting to do this.Actually we are getting everything together and you probably should start out with a flower pot or something easy to get aquainted with steal and how it bends,etc.We wondered too about the patterns for different stuff but like everything else patterns are pattoned and I've decided to design my own.You could do a pattern from a clothes hanger first since their easy to bend and then do the real thing.Or there is a florist wire that you could shape easy. Most any lightweight wire would be good to practice with.Good luck with your project.
Kaye

billie----

had great fun this year with 3/16' copper tubing.
Bought at the hardware store in a 100' coil. Made some simple shapes but liked free-form blob-y ghost-y shapes best to show off the plants...mostly raspberry and rose.

I have also been surfing the web to find out how to create my own topiary forms but havnt be sucessful do you have any ideas

Linda

There is a book called The Complete Book of Topiary. The authors are Gallup and Reich. I just got it. It has instructions for making lots of frames. I've seen it at Barnes and Noble.

I made my life size topiary , " Buxsom Bottom Busty Betty " , out of chicken wire.
It took me about 6 hours to sculpt her out of the chicken wire and about two years of ficus pumila growth to make her almost 'decent '.
I did not follow any special instructions from a book, I just used comman sence and winged it.

Enclosed is a topiary trio that inspired me to make Betty.

Try this one out---It comes from Walt Disney World Resorts. They have BEAUTIFUL topiaries at Disney world!! There are step-by-step instructions at this address:

http://www.wdwmagic.com/topiary.htm

I've been looking for information also, and just now checked Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com). I did a simple search for 'topiary instructions' and was pleasantly surprised. If this doesn't have what you need, you might try other gardening magazine sites on the web. Good luck!

Hi,

I have a lady that's about 4 years old. She's life size and is covered with winter creeper. She's made of metal fencing and covered with chicken wire and held up with an 8' metal fence post drove over 2ft into the ground. It's not hard to make. All you need, besides the materials, is pliers, fence cutters, and sledge hammer to drive the post and to do some final shaping of the frame. I don't know if I should say this or not, but I'll put it nice (no my intent to offend anyone). She was lop-sided before I used the sledge hammer. The frame was too stiff for anything else to work just right.
Bye for now.

Indiana Gardener

Hi, Ive surfed the net for hours on end and unable to find how to make topiary frames. Im wanting to make miniature Reindeer frames for the Christmas table, but I cant work it out, Ive tried and I can honestly say that it does not look anything like a Reindeer :)) any ideas anyone? send me a line at aecallander@yahoo.com.au id love to hear from anyone who has more than an idea than me
Elisa
Australia xx

I searched Amazon and there seems to be several good books, at very low prices, on the subject of Topiary. I plan to order some of them.

I want to build my wire frame onto a wood post that is secured an a block of wood that is on wheels. This way I can move the topiary wherever I want it. I'm looking at designing a huge bass fish (approx. 6-8 feet high), jumping out of the water. I'm thinking there should be other wood posts attached at varying degrees up the vertical length of the main post. I'm also thinking maybe I should secure planters at various locations inside the frame. I haven't done any planning on paper yet. This idea is bascially coming off the top of my head.

I also need to check my zone and find out what plants are hearty here. The summers get into the triple digits and the winters can be 18 degrees but usually about 29+ degrees, rarely snows.

I welcome any suggestions or input. Thanks.

Carol