How to Refresh Topiaries for the Summer

Whether you call them patio pots, porch planters or combo pots, your outdoor planters are probably ready to be refreshed for the Summer season.

Angel Vine Topiaries with Proven Winner Diamond Snow

I planted these angel vine topiaries during the Spring of 2021. The angel vine plants are one of my favorite plants. This topiary shape is called Russian Dome and was originally in a 6 1/2 grower’s pot. When I planted it in the tall container, I added a 4 1/2-inch pot of Diamond Snow from Proven Winners.

After:

How I Refreshed Them for Summer

Several months later, the pots were looking a bit frazzled. The wooden dome on top of the topiary form was faded from the sun. It was definitely thyme to repot and refresh!

Choosing a New Pot

I decided to go with a 16-inch pot. I decided to get a pot that was made out of resin so that I would still be able to lift it after it was potted. While I do love the look of ceramic pots, they are extremely heavy even before soil and plant material are added. Large pots like this would be impossible for me to move by myself if they were ceramic!

Resin pots are also normally much less expensive than ceramic. I found these on Amazon. I will include the link at the bottom of the post. Another great thing about these pots is that they already had a drainage hole in the bottom. Often times, the pots don’t have drainage holes already cut out and you need to get the drill out and make holes in the bottom.

Before adding potting soil to the new pot, I added a few empty plastic pots to take up some room. In the past, I have also used pine cones as well as biodegradable packing peanuts to take up space in the container so that I don’t use as much actual potting soil.

Ready to Repot

After I prepared the new pot by adding fresh potting soil to the pot, I was ready to remove the topiary from their existing pots. By laying the pot on its side and gently tapping it on the ground, I was able to loosen the plant from the pot. The picture below shows how I used the smaller pots to take up some space when I originally planted it last Spring.

After placing the topiary into the new pot, I added more soil. After I got the pot moved into its new position by the front door, I watered it very well.

Then it was thyme to refresh the wooden knob at the top of the topiary. I simply sprayed some 24K Gold spray paint on a paper towel and rubbed it on the knob. It looks so much better now!

Ready to Add a New “Accent” Plant

I could have stopped once I got the topiaries repotted. I could see a little spot in the front where another plant could go and I wanted to add a little bit of color to the pots.

When choosing an accent plant to add to your topiaries, you will want to consider the growing zone you live in as well as how much sun the topiaries will receive.

The US Department of Agriculture has developed a map that divides the country into different growing zones based on how cold it gets in the winter. I am fortunate to live in Zone 10a where the temperatures rarely get below 32. If you don’t know what growing Zone you live in, you can find out here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

These topiaries sit near our front door which faces South. They get full sun, meaning the sun shines on them 6 to 8 hours a day. I needed to choose a plant that could hold up to the sun, the heat and the humidity of Southwest Florida.

Petunias would be one great choice to add to the topiaries. They can take a lot of heat and sun.

I decided to go with one of my favorite plants instead!

Blue Evolvulus or Morning Glory

Blue Evolvulus is a tender perennial in the same family as the Morning Glory. It has lovely blue blossoms. The leaves are small and oval in shape. I love how wispy it looks!

It is a true blue color. Blue blooming plants are very hard to find. I really like the combination of blue & white for the Summer months.

If you have been following me for awhile, you might recognize the picture above from Mother’s Day. I used these two Blue Evolvulus plants in the Mother’s Day Forget Me Not dough bowl centerpiece.

I simply removed the Blue Evolvulus from its pot and planted in slightly off center in the pot with the topiary and the Diamond Snow. I added a little more potting soil and then covered the top of the soil with dampened sheet moss.

Looking Down into The Topiary

The Topiary on the Left Side of the Garage Door

The Blue flowers aren’t very visible in this picture. I planted them more to the side of the topiary.

The little blue flowers close at night and then reopen the next morning. This plant has become one of my favorites.! It holds up so well in the heat and humidity in Florida!

** The estimated cost is for the potting soil and the morning glory plants. If you need to purchase new planters, that would be an additional cost.