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Gardening Tips & Techniques

Creating an Outdoor Topiary Basket

ILLUSTRATION: topiary basket Whether you're celebrating summer birthdays, the Fourth of July or the rites of spring, do so in a truly personal way by creating a living topiary basket stuffed with your favorite flowers.

Put the finishing touch on your handmade creation by including a potted flowering plant in the center of the basket. This gift from the garden will decorate your patio, deck or porch throughout the growing season.

You can even bring it indoors for short periods to serve as a centerpiece for special occasions.

Materials

All materials are readily available at garden centers, hardware and craft supply stores.

Preformed wire basket
15-inch square of sheet moss, moistened thoroughly before beginning project
A circle of plastic sheeting that measures 6 inches in diameter (optional)
Moistened soilless potting mix
Selection of small rooted plants (see suggestions below)
Empty 6-inch plastic pot
A 4-inch potted flowering plant to fit in center of basket

Procedure

These easy-to-follow steps are natural enough for children to follow along.

1. Line the inside of the basket to the rim with damp moss, green side facing down.

2. Lay plastic circle on inside bottom of basket. This prevents excess water from dripping out.

3. Fill bottom of basket with a layer of moistened soilless mix.

4. Place the 6-inch pot in center of basket to serve as a holder for the 4-inch planted pot. Top of 6-inch pot should be flush with top of basket.

5. Working from the outside of the basket inward, insert small plants through wire openings of basket, pushing through the moss and plastic, if necessary.

6. Work from bottom of basket up, leaving spaces for plants to grow.

7. Fill the basket with more layers of moistened soil as necessary. Build up the soil inside the basket to surround the 6-inch pot.

8. Continue to insert plants inside the basket right up to the rim of the 6-inch pot.

9. Insert the 4-inch potted plant into the 6-inch shell.

10. As further decoration, wire a twisted grapevine handle to the sides of basket. Braid a colorful ribbon into the handle if desired.

11. Thoroughly moisten all plant material. Basket must be moved outside when all danger of frost has passed. Gradually introduce plants to outdoor conditions.

12. Water regularly. Fertilize with dilute solution when basket is actively growing.

Suggested plants to form topiary basket

Decide where your basket will be situated outside and then make your plant selection from the appropriate sun- or shade-loving plants. Plants that prefer partially shaded conditions are impatiens, lobelia, all the miniature ivies, begonia, rose periwinkle, wishbone flower and forget-me-not. Annuals preferring sunny conditions include ageratum, pansy, nasturtium, sweet alyssum, bacopa, convolvulus, creeping zinnia, lemon thyme, oregano, parsley, purple sage and variegated sage.

Suggested plant for center of basket

African violet, small geranium, miniature rose, petunia, primrose or any mounding colorful annual.