These topiary are grown using heavy steel frames. The frames for sphagnum topiary must be heavy-duty as they are the only support for these figures. The frames are stuffed with un-milled sphagnum moss and planted with either close growing vining plants or uniform compact plants. While wearing latex gloves, stuff with moistened un-milled sphagnum moss. Sphagnum moss can contain bacteria that can cause infection if you handle the material when you have even a minor abrasion.
Pin vines into the moss with hair pins or fern pins.
Water daily and fertilize regularly. Trim, pin, and prune weekly until the sphagnum is covered. Many people think that this resembles a small tree. Pinch out lateral branches that form from each axel leaving the leaf intact until maximum height is reached. When the plant reaches the desired height, the terminal or top bud is pinched to stop upward growth - this encourages lateral branching in the leaf axils.