Topiaries date back to ancient Egypt, when rows of date palm were force-cut into shapes of cones. They returned in medieval times as a way of training fruit plants, and then again during the Italian Renaissance. In the 15th century, the Dutch became intrigued with creating topiary that resembled animals while the French preferred creating topiary into geometric shapes. Topiaries have continued to evolve, they’re not only restricted to formal landscaping structures, some are crafted from potted plants, like ivy or rosemary.
Designing a topiary no longer requires that you adhere to live plants, floral topiaries have become quite popular as well. Crating a floral topiary is a simple way to bring a touch of nature indoors. All you need are the flowers and foliage of your choice, floral foam, as well as a tree branch (or stick) and container to act as the support and showcase for your design. For my first topiary, I gathered Serruria, Leucadendron, Phylica, Berzelia, Calycina and waxflower.
As the spring season’s floral options transitioned from soft mute colors to more vibrant hues, I mixed Leucospermum, Isopogon, Leucadendron and sprigs of lavender and Jasmine Vine.
Many of the botanicals I gathered for these toparies will retain their structural design and to some extent their color long after they’re vase-life. Simply put… they don’t die, they dry… Beautifully!
Topiaries date back to ancient Egypt, when rows of date palm were force-cut into shapes of cones. They returned in medieval times as a way of training fruit plants, and then again during the Italian Renaissance. In the 15th century, the Dutch became intrigued with creating topiary that resembled animals while the French preferred creating topiary into geometric shapes. Topiaries have continued to evolve, they’re not only restricted to formal landscaping structures, some are crafted from potted plants, like ivy or rosemary.
Today, creating a topiary no longer requires that you adhere to live plants, floral topiaries have become quite popular as well. Designing a floral topiary is a simple way to bring a touch of nature indoors… winter, spring, summer or fall. All you need are the flowers and foliage of your choice, floral foam, as well as a tree branch (or stick) and container to act as the support and showcase for your design. For our topiary, we’ve selected Serruria, Leucadendron, Phylica, Berzelia, Calycina and waxflower, blooms that can last two to three weeks with the proper care. Many of these botanicals will retain their structural design and to some extent their color long after their vase-life. They don’t die, they dry… Beautifully!
Pronounced “thrip-to-mee-nee,” this Australian native shrub produces dense sprays of petite white or pink flowers winter through spring. The small, needlelike foliage is very similar to waxflower. It has a crisp, fresh and even citrus-like aroma when crushed. Thryptomene is a member of the Myrtaceae family and is closely related to myrtle, bottlebrush, Leptospermum and Eucalyptus. Currently, there are about 40 named Thryptomene species.
The two popular varieties grown for cut flowers are calycina and saxicola:
Thryptomene calycina - Commonly known as Grampians heath myrtle or Victorian laceflower, this species of white and pink flowers grows wild in Victoria, Australia, in the mountainous area known as the Grampians.
Thryptomene saxicola - Commonly known as rock Thryptomene, is indigenous to the Stirling and Eyre districts of Southwestern Australia. It grows among granite boulders, and its pale pink or white flowers closely resemble waxflower.
Thryptomenes will last for up to three weeks with proper care and conditions.
What to look for:
- Purchase flowers that have at least 1/3 of the flowers open.
- Watch for signs of blossom drop or dry brittle leaves when making selections.
Flower Care:
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Remove the packaging and bindings immediately upon arrival.
- Trim the stems with a sharp knife removing at least ½” from each stem.
- Remove all leaves that fall below the water line.
- Place the stems into a clean vase or bucket with a properly prepared flower food solution.
- Place Thryptomene into a floral cooler at 34 F to 36 F, and allow them to hydrate for at least two hours before designing with or selling them.
- Provide good air circulation, high humidity and light to keep these flowers looking good.
- Recut the stems and change the water frequently.
Interesting Facts: The name Thryptomene comes from the Greek word meaning “made small,” alluding to the small size of most Thryptomene blossoms. The species name calycina refers to the prominent calyx of the flower. The species name saxicola comes from the Latin “saxum,” meaning “rock” or “boulder.”
Those fabulous plants loaded with blooms either up and down or clustered atop of each stem - like heather or waxflower are often referred to as 'filler flowers'. But, are they really fillers, a kind of stuffing or space filler? Absolutely not, they're one of the season's hottest harvests!
These awesome flowers add texture, bulk and style to bouquets and arrangements. In addition, they compliment the color scheme, and add frilly or delicate textures to the mix. And, there's so many wonderful varieties to choose from - saxicola, calycina, heather, boronia, sterling range, genista, eriostemon, waxflower and many more. Here's just a few of our favorites!
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