Get the look of Beautiful Flowers without the Upkeep

With this Ever Blooming Topiary you can fill your home with beautiful flowers without worrying about watering them or cleaning up the fallen petals. It makes for a great housewarming gift.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM Brand Products:
  • Sheet: 2" x 12" x 36", green
• Oval woven basket, 16" x 6" x 6"
• Twigs such as birch, curly willow, or red twig dogwood, 16" lengths, 24
• Green sheet moss, 8 oz.
• Silk flowers and greenery: lilies, 10; open roses, eight; lilacs, five; hydrangeas, three; small blossoms, four; berry sprays, two; variegated ivy, one bunch
• Greening pins, 24
• Wired floral picks, 1-1/2"
• Craft knife or serrated kitchen knife
• Old candle (optional)
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks

Steps:

1. Using craft knife or serrated knife, cut two pieces of foam 2" x 4" x 14"; set aside. (If using serrated knife, wax blade with old candle for smoother, easier cutting.) Trim remaining foam sheet to fit inside basket. Stack and glue foam in layers until top layer is flush with top of basket.
    
2. Stack and glue 2" x 4" x 14" foam pieces to form one piece, 4" x 4" x 14".
    
3. Working one at a time, apply glue to bottom 2" of each twig and press it into foam inside basket, forming a row along center. Trim top of twigs 14" above foam.
    
4. Center 4" x 4" x 14" layered foam on top of twigs and press down firmly until foam is 12" above top of basket. Turn topiary upside down with basket at the top. Carefully glue top of twigs to foam; let dry.
    
5. Turn topiary right side up. Trim corners of foam block, forming an oval shape. Cover oval and foam inside basket with a layer of sheet moss, pinning and gluing to secure.
    
6. Cut flower stems approximately 2" from blossoms. If necessary, attach wooden picks to flowers for added length.
    
7. When arranging flowers, use photo as a guide. Dip stems into glue before inserting them into foam. Insert stems into top of topiary, starting with largest flowers. Note: Reserve two large lilies for base of arrangement. Continue adding flowers until topiary is covered, working from large to medium to small blossoms. Fill in between flowers with ivy and berries.
    
8. Insert reserved lilies in basket at base of twigs. Add sprigs of ivy and berries around lilies.

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow. For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.