Bunny Topiary With Shirley Bovshow

• Small tomato cage (used as topiary support)
• 4 packs of green floral wire netting by Panagea 12" x 48"-inches ( $3 each Joann's)
• 1 pack 22g green floral wire
• 1 lightweight plant container
• 1- 5-gallon African Boxwood plant (SEE NOTE)
• 3- 4"-inch English Daisies
• 1-4"-inch Festuca blue- (to use as bunny's tail)
• 1-pack "sew on eyes" (.50 cents at Joann's)
• Sphagnum moss

NOTE: Use an evergreen plant for a topiary frame so it looks good year-round.

Select plants with small leaves and dense, green foliage that looks good when sheared. (Such as the boxwood, myrtle, syzygium, laurel, privet, rosemary, ivy, creeping fig vine). Buy compact varieties of these plants for small topiaries and regular varieties for large landscape topiaries. Step Out Instructions On Body:

1. Check that your inverted tomato cage fits over your plant and sits on the soil of the container.
2. Remove your tomato cage from plant and wrap with floral netting, securing with floral wire beginning at the base of cage and work your way up.
3. Pull your netting as you wrap it around so that it is not loose.
4. Cut off the metal stakes that stick up from the tomato cage with wire cutters.
5. Place the covered tomato cage carefully over your plant.
6. Reuse the cut metal stakes to secure the cage to the planter by bending them in half and inserting in soil.
7. Cut a 8"-10"- inch piece of netting and press it on top of a round object to curve it- this will become the top of the bunny head.
8. Secure the netting to the top of the topiary form, closing the gap and creating the top of the "head."
9. Cut another 8-10"-inch netting and shape on top of round object- this will become the bunny's face.
10. Secure the "bunny face to the top of the frame and "head."

Step Out Instructions On Appendages:

1. FEET- Cut 2 pieces of netting 8"-inches tall by 6"-inches wide. Fill each piece with moist moss and fold in half lengthwise. Close with wire and attach to frame with wire. Bend feet upwards.
2. PAWS- Cut 2 pieces of netting, approx 4"-inches tall by 6"-inches wide. Fill each with moss and fold in half lengthwise. Close with wire and attach to frame with wire.
3. BUNNY EARS- Cut two pieces of netting, 12"-inches tall by 6"-inches wide. Fill each with moss and fold in half lengthwise. Close with wire and attach to frame with wire.

Final Details:

1. Attach the "Sew on Eyes" with a piece of wire onto the "face."
2. Plant the Festuca grass where the bunny tail would be.
3. Plant a few English Daisies along the rim of planter.
4. Finish with a hand painted sign that reads: "Please Don't Eat the Daisies."

And make sure you visit edenmakersblog.com for more great gardening tips from our Shirley Bovshow!