How to Make a Faux Topiary
Learn how to make an easy, fresh, and modern faux DIY topiary using artificial greens from the craft store. In this post, you’ll learn the basics of creating a faux topiary, from choosing the right artificial greenery to putting the finishing touches on it that will make the faux topiary look real.
If you’ve ever longed to bring a touch of a formal garden into your home, boxwood topiaries are the perfect solution. This budget-friendly one is easy to make and doesn’t require any special skills or a lot of time to create.
I wrote about making this faux topiary in my first few years of blogging. I have updated the post with new photos so that you can see that the faux DIY topiary I made can last for many years.
I have also made my own paper flowers as well to decorate my home. I also enjoy styling artificial flowers and faux plants and shared how to mix faux flowers and real branches to make a colorful impact in a room.
Above you can see two of the faux topiaries I made back in 2011. That is one of the best things about using faux florals and greenery. If you take care of them, they will last forever.
How to Make a Topiary with Craft Store Artificial Plants
The greenery bouquet I used to make this easy DIY topiary is light and wispy looking. When looking for greenery to use, try to find faux greenery that has the same look. You can find artificial greens to use to make your DIY topiary at craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
If you can’t find greenery like I used, this faux boxwood will work also.
When making this style of topiary, there was no need to use a faux greenery ball. Instead, the greenery itself and the individual stems form a loose ball shape that will make the topiary look more realistic.
supplies needed:
- Thin and straight tree branch – I found mine in my yard. You can also stain a dowel rod if you can’t find a real branch to use.
- Block of Styrofoam or a floral foam oasis
- Small flower pot or planter
- Faux greenery – purchase at a craft store
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Wire cutter
- Scissors
- Florist’s wire and green floral tape
- Moss or soil
Time needed: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Make a DIY Topiary Tutorial
- Cut Tree Branch
Cut tree branch to height desired. Mine is 20-inches high. I also cut the buds off the branch.
- Place Foam Block in Planter
Place a foam or an oasis block securely in a small planter and cover with damp sheet moss or soil.
- Separate and Cut Stems
Cut each stem away from the greenery bouquet with wire cutters.
- Snip Top Pieces
On each stem of the greenery, remove the top piece of greenery. It should come right off.
- Bend Wire Stem
Bend the wire on the top of a stem. This will create a “stop” and keep the greenery from coming off the stem in the next step.
- Push The Greenery Up
Using your fingers – push all the branches on each stem up to the stop.
- Create a Main Stem
Pick one stem to be your main stem, then one by one wrap the other stems around the main one two times and cut the excess off.
- Form into a Ball Shape
Using your hands, shape the greenery into a loose shape to resemble topiary balls. It will end up looking like this.
- Assemble the DIY Topiary
Use florist’s wire to attach stem to branch. Use a bit of hot glue if needed.
- Hide the Twisted Wire
To hide the twisted wire fill in the bottom of the ball shape by placing a dab of hot glue on the ends of snippet of greenery and pushing the glued end into the bottom of the round ball shape.
- Add Florist Wire
Tie one or two more pieces of florist’s wire along the branch to secure the stem. Optional – cover wire by wrapping florist’s tape around the wire.
- Trim to Shape
Shape the top of the topiary into a rounder shape using scissors just as you would if you were trimming or pruning the real thing that grew out of shape.
Now I have a natural looking topiary tree for my kitchen that doesn’t need watering and that even I can’t kill.
It would be nice if I could make my tabletop size DIY topiary tree smell like fresh herbs, but it does look real, don’t you think?
Helpful Tips
To make your DIY topiary look more realistic for your home decor, make sure to add these touches.
- Add a Stem: If you look at real ball head topiaries you see that they have a connecting stem that goes along the branch and down into the pot. To do this, I had to piece parts of my greenery along the branch. I secured it with some more florist’s wire and florist tape. This stem secured to the branch with wire is another way to make the topiary look like it came from a florist.
- Use Real Dirt: Instead of placing the branch into foam to secure in the planter and cover with moss. Use soil from your yard to cover the foam.
More Decorating With Faux Plant Ideas
- Faux Blooming Branches You Can Make
- Adding Spring Flowers Around The House Even When You Don’t Have Any
- How to Keep Faux Outdoor Flowers from Fading
- My “Must Do” Faux Flower Decoration Tips
