How to Make a Faux Topiary that Looks Real

I love topiaries, but I have the blackest of black thumbs. I’m so afraid to buy a real one because I’d hate to invest money in something I’d probably kill within a few weeks. There are some pretty beautiful faux topiaries online, but they come with a pretty price tag also. And y’all know I’m the queen of decorating on a budget. Soooo, I figured I’d try to make one. There was one little caveat though… I really wanted my topiary to look real. To accomplish this, I tried to use as many “real” products as I could.

This wasn’t one of the quickest DIYs I’ve ever done, but definitely doable. And I think the final results were well worth my time. I love the way it turned out!

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How to Make a Faux Topiary

Supplies needed:

Garland (I used 2 strands)
5″ Styrofoam Ball
2-3 Square Styrofoam Blocks
3-4′ Birch Stick (about 1″ diameter)
Vintage Galvanized Bucket
Potting Soil

What to do:

I picked each of the stems off of the garland and laid them aside. Put on some good music and grab your favorite beverage because this takes a little time. This is also a good part to get your kids involved in. 😉

Once I was done removing each of the stems, I started placing them in the styrofoam ball by pushing them in. I tried to get them together pretty closely because I didn’t want my topiary to have any bald spots. I left about a 3″ diameter at the bottom of the ball to place the stick.

When the topiary ball was finished, I set it on the side and began preparing my bucket and birch stick. I ordered 8 birch sticks so I could have some extra to make more topiaries and add some to my decor. So I had to cut them to size. I cut mine to about 3′. You may want to hold it in your bucket to get an eye for how tall you want yours. If you can make angle cuts on the top and bottom of your stick to turn it into a point, it will be easier to stick into the styrofoam.

I placed 2 styrofoam blocks in my bucket and broke some up to place on the sides so that my topiary wouldn’t lean. Then I stuck the birch stick all the way through the first styrofoam block and about half way through the second to keep it more stable.

Once I had my stick in place, I put the topiary ball on the top. I pushed the stick about halfway through the ball.

To finish off the topiary, I placed paper towels around the top of the styrofoam and then put a thin layer of potting soil on top. This, along with the real birch, give it such an authentic look. And the best part – it can’t be killed!!

Be sure to check out how I made the Let’s Stay Home scroll for $10 and the Farmhouse Stool thrift store flip.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to create a faux topiary. Are you going to give this one a try?

Be blessed, my friends. xoxo

Would greatly appreciate some shares on Pinterest! 🙂