Spring '08 :: Mimi's Mechanics

Topiary Take One

You can’t beat hot pink paired with yellow and green for spring. "Aqua" roses provide a true shade of pink and are my favorite in this color family. (They open nicely too.) The flax leaves are the perfect vibrant shade of green and yellow and can hold their own with the hot pink without taking over. Other tropical plant leaves would work too—just make sure you have a "loud" enough shade of yellow and green.

1. For the base of the topiary, I chose to line a glass cube with a basket weave of variegated flax leaves but any old clay garden pot will do. For this arrangement, a container that holds water without having to be lined is best.

2. I used one block of Oasis and cut it almost flush with the top of the cube. To get the right size piece of Oasis I often turn the container upside down and make an imprint on the Oasis, then cut.
3. I cut strips of variegated flax leaves flush with the top of the cube. The middle section of the flax leaf is best for this project. The bottom is too stiff (so I cut it off) and the top narrows to a point. You want all the strips to be close to the same width.
4. Fit the strips down into the cube all vertically first and then go back and weave in a few horizontal strips, pushing them down to form the basket weave.
5. After cleaning all the stems on the roses and pulling off all the grower petals I make a hand-tied bouquet with one bunch of "Aqua" roses, crossing the stems left to right as I go, so the roses will face out and not upright…

To see Mimi’s finished product, pick up a copy of our Anniversary Issue, on-sale this Spring.

Spring 2008 | By Mimi Brown | Photos By Jason Wallis