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Herbal
Topiaries
Most good things take
time. But few are as simple as herb topiaries, nor taste as good!
You'll need a pot, a stake or a topiary form, and one of a few herbs.
For standards, lavender, bay (Lauris nobilis) and rosemary are good
because of their woody stems. If you want a form such as a globe
or a wreath, you can use rosemary also, or myrtle, trailing thyme,
or santolina.
If you start with a woody
plant, make a standard (the typical "lollipop" shape).
Stick a stake in the pot, right in the middle of the plant. Nip
off the top growth stem, so the plant will push out all that energy
to the side. Trim all stems off below where you want the ball shape
to develop. Use your fingernails or a sharp pair of clippers. The
idea is not to injure the stem.
For soft-stemmed herbs,
you will need both a form and something to keep the stems tied to
the form. Green-colored garden ties or raffia will work. Just wind
the stems around and around the form. As the plant grows, continue
to wind stems around. Eventually, the whole form will fill up. Then
you can pinch off ends to encourage bushy growth.
Prune judiciously for
about six months, keep the plant on the dry side, and rotate it
so that it gets sun on all sides. With this amount of care, you'll
get something that looks like you've hired an English gardener.
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