Can outdoor topiaries be grown in the desert?

[AZ Athena]

I love the look of topiaries and I considered using some animal forms to border my lawn, but I'm not sure what plants will work for this here in the desert. Any ideas?

 

[Tommyotommy]

I love the look of topiaries and I considered using some animal forms to border my lawn, but I'm not sure what plants will work for this here in the desert. Any ideas?

Hi Athena,
Had to look up topiary first haha. If you can grow a lawn in the desert, I would think you have many options in choosing plants. What shrubs do you see that's common in your area? Now which of those can be sculpted to your liking, I can't answer.... though I'm sure someone here can help. Have you considered growing a tree rose in a pot? Pots will mean frequently having to water though.

 

[AZ Athena]

Hi Athena,
Had to look up topiary first haha. If you can grow a lawn in the desert, I would think you have many options in choosing plants. What shrubs do you see that's common in your area? Now which of those can be sculpted to your liking, I can't answer.... though I'm sure someone here can help. Have you considered growing a tree rose in a pot? Pots will mean frequently having to water though.

Thanks. I'm sure something will grow, it's just a matter of what. Potted plants don't do too well here unless they're on a drip system. They tend to dry out in a matter of hours, but where there's a will there's a way, so I'll figure something out.

 

[Marck]

A topiary-like effect can be achieved in several ways. Beside pruning and training an erect shrub or small tree into a topiary, one can also train a vine or scandent shrub over a wire armature to achieve a similar living, sculptural shape. In most cases, plants with small leaves will work best for creating sharp lines and fine details.

 

[cpp gardener]

Try Rosemary, Privet, African Boxwood, California Buckwheat, Apache Plume. All will tolerate the heat and can be sheared. Much easier in the ground than pots.