Wedding topiary
The wedding topiary is all about elevating a heavy weight of flowers and wet florist foam above the table top. This is why the mechanics is the most important part. You need to take precautions that the centerpiece stands straight and is not easily toppled over onto a guest's lap!
You will need the following:
- 4 1/2" Oasis Netted Sphere
- Floralock Adhesive
- Dowel Rod OR Glass Tower Vase + Clear Lomey Extension Rods
- Wire Cutters
- Concealing the Support Bar - Suggested: Ribbon, Birch Branches, Artificial Ivy or Fresh Ivy, Curly Willow
- Plaster of Paris
- Urn Container
- Fresh Flowers (Calculate the # of flowers you need for each Sphere)
- Finishing Touch Flower Sealant
This specific topiary features pink roses, ivory roses, lilys, green amaranthus and fresh ivy. The bottom has a bird's nest as an accent.
If you want to create a fresh flower topiary, you need to start with an Florist Foam Sphere. You can used an plain sphere, but will have to tape it with supporting waterproof tape. It is much easier to use the Oasis Netted Sphere, which helps keep the foam from crumbling and keep the heavy water saturated foam from sliding down the support pole.
If you plan to use a Tower Vase as the elevation, you need to get a Lomey Extension Rod.
The rod helps stabilize the foam ball and keep the weight centered on top of the vase.
Cut the rod to the appropriate size to slide down into the vase if needed. Generally it is not necessary.
Push the support rod into the Oasis Netted Sphere.
Take care as it pushed through and out the other side of the sphere.
Soak the sphere and carefully insert the rod through the ball and down into the vase. You will probably need to use a larger round mirror on the table and put florist clay on the bottom four points of the vase. Press hard on top of the mirror until the Tower vase is firmly attached to the vase. The mirror on the bottom will help stabilize the vase on the table top to keep it from toppling over.
The larger the foam ball and the weight of the flowers, however, may make it necessary to go a step farther and use a heavier container (such as an urn) that is filled with plaster of paris to stabilize the final arrangement.
Choose a large dowel rod and I recommend it be at least 3 - 4 ft. long.
If you wish to stain or paint the dowel a dark color to help conceal it, do it before inserting the foam ball on the top.
Coat the top of the rod with a floral adhesive. This works better than hot glue, as it doesn't become brittle when exposed to cool temperatures or wet conditions. Floral Adhesive takes a bit longer to dry, but holds fast even in wet foam.
You will probably wish to conceal the rod with some type of cover. See the suggestions in the product list above. For this demonstration, curly willow was used.
Gather several stems of curly willow, wrapping them around the support dowel rod until concealed. Wire into place. Oasis Bindwire works well for this task because it is easily concealed within the curly willow.
Plaster of Paris should be mixed according to the directions and poured into the bottom flower container. You must take care the dowel rods is straight as the plaster sets.
Submerge the flower sphere upside down in a 5 gallon bucket of water treated with fresh flower food. The add the fresh flowers, spraying with Finishing Touch when done.
This flower ball features white roses, blush roses, Asiatic Lilies, hanging amaranthus and sweet heart roses. For additional help on how many flowers it takes for your size floral foam sphere and how to flower in pomanders, check out wedding reception centerpieces.
