Every topiary we sell starts the same way: as bare metal in the workshop. This page shows how a piece goes from wire to a finished animal, and why we build them the way we do.
The frame comes first
Each frame is a three-dimensional sculpture made from steel wire and rod. We shape the metal by hand, then weld every joint. Small tabletop pieces use rod around 1/8″; large animals step up to 1/4″ and carry heavier internal rods so the piece stays rigid in wind and under the weight of moss or foliage.
After welding and a cleaning, the frame gets its finish. Most frames are powder-coated. Frames that will live outside for decades are hot-dip galvanized instead: the steel goes into a kettle of molten zinc, and the zinc bonds to the metal in a way paint never can. Here is one of our frames going through that kettle:
The rule we use when choosing the finish is simple. Galvanizing gives the frame a lifetime of outdoor use, so it is our default for foliage-covered pieces. When the metal will sit in direct contact with soil, moss and fertilizer — a planted piece — we powder-coat instead, because fertilizer is hard on zinc. Either way, the last touch on an animal is its eyes. That is the moment a frame becomes a character.
Most of the larger animal frames are built in sections. Sections pack into standard boxes, which cuts freight cost, and they give you more ways to plant the piece once it arrives.
Mossed topiary
Many of our frames are also available filled with pre-dyed sphagnum moss. The moss does not grow — think of it as the soil of the topiary. Poke a hole, plant ivy or another creeper, and care for it like a hanging basket: water and feed as your zone and plant require. If you would rather keep it unplanted, the moss body reads as solid, soft foliage on its own. Our guide to packing moss into a frame covers quantities and technique.
Boxwood-covered topiary
For pieces that need to look finished the day they arrive and stay that way for years, we cover the frame in boxwood foliage — preserved for indoors (how the preserving works), UV-rated artificial for outdoors. Every sprig is attached by hand. Globes are the hardest shape: the curve leaves gaps that have to be filled one small piece at a time. This short video shows the covering work as we actually do it:
Lighted topiary
Any wire or mossed animal can be wrapped in clear mini lights. A lit dachshund at the front door, or lit dogs down a table at a winter event, does more work than a sign. Lighted pieces arrive ready to plug in, with a replacement bulb and a flashing bulb included.
Where to look next
- Buying a frame? Start with what to check before you buy a wire frame.
- Planting one yourself? The step-by-step is in how to make topiary animals from plants.
- Want it built for you? See custom design and fabrication, or browse the animal collection.
