Tropicals can go outside in late spring, once the weather is reliably warm and nighttime temperatures don't dip below 55 degrees. Bring them in again in September, or before the first frost.
how to make an ivy wreath topiary
1. : Get a pot of ivy. "The small-leafed varieties are best," says Kristine Schickenberg, "because the large-leafed ones overrun the frame."
2.: Either buy a wire frame (arts-and-crafts supply stores often carry a variety) or make your own.
3.: To make your own wire frame, use wire approximately as thick as a coat hanger. Draw a template on a piece of cardboard or a board.
4. : Fasten little tacks around the template to act as a guide around which to bend the wire. This will keep the circle from getting lopsided.
5. : Bend the wire around the tacks on the template. Be sure to create two sturdy prongs approximately half the height of the frame to stick in the ivy pot.
6.: Push the prongs firmly into the pot.
7. : Wind the ivy around the frame. Secure with twist ties, bows or string. Don't use bare wire; it will cut the vine. Continue to train the ivy until the frame is covered. Twist stray tendrils back into the topiary and secure, or clip them off.
sources for topiaries
Green Fields Nursery and Landscaping Co., : 5424 Falls Road (at West Northern Parkway), Baltimore, 410-323-3444, greenfieldsnursery.com
Homestead Gardens: , 743 Central Ave., Davidsonville, 410-867-6336, homesteadgardens.com
Watson's Garden Center,: 1620 York Road, Lutherville, 410-321-7300, 877-492-8766, watsonsgarden.com
