Hey Friends! Today I’m sharing how to make your own DIY Ivy and rosemary topiary using a grapevine wreath! Typically the form used to shape a topiary is understated and hidden under the beautiful leaves and blooms of the plants. For this project, these grapevine wreaths stand out as much as the Ivy and rosemary plants they are made with. The circular shape of the grapevine wreath is perfect for a ring topiary and I love how the woody branches hold their own in this design (no one puts these grapevine wreaths in the corner :))

two topiaries

About this Post

I decided to make two different types of grapevine wreath topiaries, one using live ivy plants the other live rosemary plants. Let’s start with the ivy topiary and I’ll include the specifics for the rosemary topiary below.

flatlay of plants and tureen

Ivy Topiary

For this project, I used standard English ivy plants (Hedera helix). I used both green and variegated (green and white in the leaves) types for a nice variety. Ivy plants are timeless and a popular choice for topiaries as they are a vining plant. The ivy stems grow “leggy” which is a great thing when training a topiary.

Supplies:

*This post includes affiliate links, for more info on affiliate links visit here!

Note: I purchased the soup tureen while thrifting. For Soup tureen buying options please visit my Using Soup Tureens as Planters Post.

Tools:

How to make an Ivy DIY Topiary using a Grapevine Wreath

  1. First cover the bottom of the tureen with stones then add potting soil until the tureen is 3/4 full. Then add water to moisten the soil.
  2. Remove each ivy plant from the flower pot it came in and plant the four plants in the potting soil. Plant the base of the pothos beneath the soil while allowing the ivy leaves to gracefully crown the top. Be sure to use the two plants with the longest “legs/stems” for the sides. These longer pieces are wrapped around the wreath to begin forming the topiary.
  3. Once the four Ivy plants are planted take the grapevine wreath and nestle it on its side in the soil avoiding the ivy as much as possible. To make the wreath stand on its side, use some floral wire (I prefer flocked wire for this purpose), cut the wire in half, and then make a u – shape. Secure the wreath by pushing the u – shaped wire over the bottom of the wreath. Secure the wreath in 3 places. (See photo below)
  4. Once the wreath is secured simply weave the ivy around the wreath. For this ivy topiary, I did not need to use the floral string or garden twine as the ivy easily wrapped around the wreath without the extra support.

How to Care for Your Ivy Topiary

Ivy’s are fairly easy to care for. Place it in a sunny window and watch for it to tell you when it needs water. You will notice the leaves will be a bit less perky when water is needed. Once you see this add 1 -2 cups of water and let the soil dry to the touch to a depth of ½ inch before watering again. You do not want to add too much water because the soup tureen that this topiary is planted in does not have good drainage. Ivy’s like most plants do not like their roots sitting in water. After a period of time, you will find a routine for watering your ivy topiary.

As the ivy grows continue to weave and wrap the ivy around the wreath to train vines. During the summer months, I moved my ivy topiary outside and placed it in a partial shade spot – it thrived! I was sure to bring it back in before the first frost in the fall.

two ivy topiaries. one newly made the other a year old.

Rosemary Topiary

I then moved on to the rosemary topiary and followed the same steps. Rosemary plants (Rosmarinus officinalis) are beautiful plants with a lovely fragrance. They are a stiffer woody plant and therefore a bit harder to work with. For ease of following along, I will repeat supplies, tools, and steps and share the few tweaks I made for the rosemary.

rosemary topiary

Supplies:

*This post includes affiliate links, for more info on affiliate links visit here!

Tools:

rosemary topiary using a grapevine wreath.

How to make a Rosemary DIY Topiary using a Grapevine Wreath

  1. First, cover the bottom of your pot with a generous amount of stones (approx 2″) then add potting soil until the soil fills the tureen 3/4 of the way to the top. Then with your watering can add water to moisten the potting mix.
  2. Remove the 2 rosemary plants from the pots they came in and plant them in the potting soil. You want the root ball below the soil and the plant above.
  3. Once the 2 rosemary plants are planted, take the grapevine wreath and nestle it in the soil avoiding the rosemary as much as possible. To make the wreath stand on its side, use some flocked wire, cut it in half, and then make a u – u-shape. Secure the wreath by pushing the u-shaped wire over the bottom of the wreath. Secure the wreath in 3 places.
  4. Once the wreath is secured simply wrap the rosemary around the wreath. If needed use the garden twine to wrap the rosemary stems (including the new growth) around the wreath. Wrap loosely.
  5. To finish cover the soil with sheet moss (you can also use sphagnum moss, Spanish moss, or peat moss) to give it a more finished look. You can simply sit the moss on top of the soil. When done spray with a plant mister.
moss covering the soil of the rosemary topiary.

How to Care for Your Rosemary Topiary

The care would be similar to a traditional rosemary plant with a few special considerations. Rosemary with their woody stems and dry needle-like leaves prefer things on the dry side. Only water when the soil is dry to the touch. That being said, do not let the soil dry out completely. This rosemary topiary is planted in a tureen which does not have drainage holes, be sure not to overwater leaving too much water on the bottom of the container. It’s a good idea to place rosemary topiaries in a sunny window for full sun (south-facing is best). As the plants continue to grow be sure to wrap the new branches around the grapevine wreath adjusting the twine as you go. For fertilizing instructions visit my post on fertilizing herbs.

two topiaries

Check Out These Other Great Plant Projects

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other types of plants?

Yes! For best results choose plants that grow long tendrils (i.e. plants that can become “leggy”) this is important to wrap the tendrils (vines) around the grapevine wreath.

Can I use a different type of container?

Any container would work as long as the grapevine wreath fits into the container and the depth of the container allows for enough potting soil to keep your plants happy! Keep in mind grapevine wreaths come in different sizes so finding one for your container should not be difficult.

How do I keep the shape of the topiary?

As the plants grow you will continue to wrap the vine “legs” of the plant around the topiary. As you can see in the photo below, the Ivy topiary grew quite large and some of the Ivy vines were wrapped around the wreath while some were left hanging. grown Ivy topiary with long legs

Do topiaries come in other shapes?

The topiaries included in this post are ring topiaries as they use a circular form. Other topiary shapes include ball-shaped, Christmas tree shape (conical topiaries), topiary tree or obelisk frame shape, and heart shapes.

What other types of topiary forms are used for making topiaries?

Most topiary forms (or topiary frames) for live topiaries are wire forms. That is what makes these grapevine wreath forms so different! I have also seen topiary forms made from unusual materials such as chicken wire and even a wire coat hanger.

two topiaries

A special thank you to my friend my friend Emily Traxler from Le.Cultivateur Blog who first shared a fun DIY Angel Vine Topiary that I absolutely loved! Emily used an Angel Vine plant for her topiary. Angel Vines are perfect for topiaries with their delicate leaves and trailing vines. They wrap easily around structures and with a good amount of sun – they’re generally happy! I searched wide and far here in MA for Angel Vine and could not find one. However, I did find some “leggy” ivy plants and rosemary plants, so I went with those instead.

Thank you for visiting the blog today! It was fun sharing my DIY topiary using a Grapevine Wreath in two styles! Save this project as ivy and rosemary topiary plants make great gifts! I hope you have fun making your own topiary. 

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8 Comments

  1. I FINALLY got around to doing this with a white tureen I bought years ago and some ivy plants I bought last summer! I really struggled securing my vine wreath into the soil; I may have needed a slightly smaller one but couldn’t find one. I ended up using pins I made from the outer corners of wire hangers. Not the most secure, but it stays upright. I love it!

  2. Super cute and what a great idea! They look so pretty in those white tureens! Love love love this project! Now, I wish we had a Blessing Barn! 💜❤️💜

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