How To Make A Climbing Plant Into A Topiary Gift

I’m always reminded of the story of The Secret Garden when I see a topiary. While I don’t think there was actually any topiaries in the story, I guess it’s the fairy tale look and the dreamy tendrils of the plant that reminds me of the imagination story.

While I love the story so much, I love gift-giving just a little bit more. That’s why I’ve come up with these DIY topiary ideas to create fabulous and super cheap topiary gifts this year. 

Because who doesn’t love a pretty plant?! Not only are they lovely, but they clean your indoor air too!

And this gift is so easy to make. In about 20 minutes, your gift is ready to give! Gotta love that!

Oh, and you’ll love how cheap it costs to create. You might even be able to get away with only buying the plant, and finding the rest of the supplies around your house.

This post is part of our 30 Days of Homemade Gifts Series. 30 gifts that are easy (and cheap) to make, but also something you’ll be proud to give.

Each Homemade Gift has to meet 5 stipulations in order to maximize your money and make it easy for a busy mom to do:

1. Easy to obtain supplies –  Supplies are things you might already have on hand or are easy to find at Walmart or a craft store so you can get them in the same day you want to make it.
2. Easy to make –  Supplies are easy to work with or use so that anyone could do it… not caustic… so you could do the craft with your kids.
3. Quick to make –  It can be made in 30 minutes or less so it’s possible to make this gift in the middle of the night with products most likely already have on hand. (Note: It takes extra dry time and baking time for this project.)
4. Cheap to make – You should be able to make the project without spending more than $10.
5. Substantial – Each gift is “big” enough that you’ll feel confident giving it alone and not having to add a gift card to it.
   BONUSES:
   Multiple uses –  Multiple gifts can be made out of the same supplies giving you options to use up all the supplies you buy.
   Saving Money Double Bonus: Try to think about what you already have on hand to upcycled and save more money.

So are you ready to learn how to make an indoor topiary? Let’s start making these easy DIY gifts!

Topiary Supplies:

• Floral Garden Floral Wire 6 ft Coil (Metallic craft wire) – $1 @ Dollar Tree
  OR: Dollar Tree has floral wire wreath forms for $1 or circle 2 pks for $1!
• Shape to form wire around: like a large cookie cutter or metal pan
• Climbing Indoor Plant (such as Ivy, Creeping Fig, String of Pearls, Hoya or Jasmine) – 1 pint or 1 quart pot up to $3.98 (@ Walmart or any garden center)
• Burlap, Fabric or get a Fat Quarter to cover pot – $1 @ Walmart)
• Ribbon to tie up fabric – $0 (or $1 @ the dollar store)
• Floral Wire (small, thin green wire) – $0 (or $1 @ the dollar store)
• Wire Cutters
• Spray Paint (optional to paint the wire form if you don’t like the color or want to hide it)
• Plastic Plant Saucer – (optional to finish gift. If you cover the pot in fabric like a sack, then you definitely don’t need this. I decorated a small plate using this simple process.)
• Battery powered mini lights (optional, I bought the ones shown at Dollar Tree for $1)

Don’t think your gift recipient would keep a vine alive? You could make her a tabletop moss garden instead. Or you could make a mini cacti garden for them.

Directions:

Step 1: Shape The Metallic Craft Wire

This is really the highlight of your topiary because it’s the main focus. I’ll be doing a heart becuse I think that shape is sweet as a teacher gift from my kids.

I had a heart baking mold (from a spring form pan) that I used as a guide and I just bent the wire with my fingers to shape it.

The center needed a slight little twist in the center to keep the heart loops from pulling apart, but I think it looks fine.

If you don’t want to make a heart, you could easily shape your wire into a cross, egg, circle, double circle, sphere, spiral, star or even a triangle.

Step 2: Twist Wire To Press Into Topiary Plant

Since this craft wire is pretty study, if you twist several inches together you’ll be able to push it directly into the soil and won’t need to attach it to anything else… how easy is that?!!

Step 3: Cut Wire & Press In Plant Soil

You need to even out the wires so they are easy to press into the soil of your plant and don’t damage the root system.

Just pull the leaves apart a little and look for the centermost point and press your wire topiary in to the soil.

Step 4: Wrap The Plant Tendrils Around Topiary Form

Here is how to make your indoor topiary look like a great gift.

Once the topiary wire form is stabile in the soil, start wrapping the plant tendrils around the form.

Don’t worry if they don’t all wrap around completely, the plant will grow and your gift recipient will continue to train it.

Step 5: Add Fabric & Ribbon For Gifting

First, check to make sure the piece of fabric wraps up and around the pot. You might need to trim any excess fabric if it’s too clumpy.

Make sure to take off any price stickers off the pot before you wrap it.

If you are giving a saucer with the plant, make sure to include it underneath the fabric. Measure and cut a length of ribbon to tie around the plant and to tie a bow.

What Does A Climbing Topiary Plant Cost?

• Floral Garden Floral Wire 6 ft Coil (Metallic craft wire) – $1 @ Dollar Tree
  OR: Dollar Tree has floral wire wreath forms for $1 or circle 2 pks for $1
• Shape to form wire around: like a large cookie cutter or metal pan
• Climbing Indoor Plant (such as Ivy, Creeping Fig, String of Pearls, Hoya or Jasmine) – 1 pint or 1 quart pot up to $3.98 (@ Walmart or any garden center)
• Burlap, Fabric or get a Fat Quarter to cover pot – $1 @ Walmart)
• Ribbon to tie up fabric – $0 (or $1 @ the dollar store)
• Floral Wire (small, thin green wire) – $0 (or $1 @ the dollar store)
• Wire Cutter – $0
• Spray Paint (optional to paint the wire form if you don’t like the color or want to hide it) – $0
• Plastic Plant Saucer – (optional to finish gift. If you cover the pot in fabric like a sack, then you definitely don’t need this. I decorated a small plate using this simple process.)
• Battery powered mini lights (optional, I bought the ones shown at Dollar Tree for $1)

Total Cost: $4.98 (plant & metallic craft wire) Add $1 to include the lights.

WOW!

See! Aren’t these topiary gifts just so neat?!! They are my favorite plant gift so far.

Because who doesn’t love a pretty plant?! They are so lovely and they clean your indoor air too! That’s like a bonus gift for your lungs.

Plus this topiary gift is so easy to make. In about 20 minutes, you’ve made a great looking gift and it’s ready to give. I love that!

And it’s super cheap to create.

I hope you enjoyed learning how to make an indoor topiary you can give as a frugal gift to your love ones.

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