Topiary craft project. Pineapple, lemon topiary.

Unleash Your Creativity

Free Craft Projects - Pineapple Lemon Topiary

This beautiful project was kindly contributed by: Richard Bedsole/Chief Instructor at The American Institute of Floral Arts

Fresh fruit topiaries have a Williamsburg flair, though they can have a “twist” of their own depending on your particular preference.

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Here, we’ll show you how to create a topiary, using a fresh pineapple and fresh lemons.

Choosing a container for your topiary is the most defining moment for your project. Choose one that lends itself to your décor or your theme. We’re using a open weave, footed compote or urn.

Using dry floral foam, we establish a height for our topiary, by using a full block and then gluing an additional, block or partial block (depending on the desired height) and lining it up perfectly with the first block. We’ve glued the first block on the interior bottom of the container and then glued the second or partial block to the top of the first block.

Using bamboo skewers, we’ve inserted four skewers into the bottom of the pineapple. Using hot glue, we then put a drop of glue on the end of each skewer before inserting it into the top of the foam block. When choosing a pineapple, make sure you have one that sits straight when sitting on a countertop. If you simply can’t find one that will sit straight, carefully insert your pineapple skewers into your block of foam, holding your pineapple level. When the edge of the pineapple touches the top of the foam, hold it there briefly until the glue cools and you’ll have a level pineapple.

Since all of our fruit is fresh from the market, it’s difficult to give an exact count of the number of lemons you’ll need for this project because they are likely to vary in size, so you’ll have to estimate for your individual projects.

Using more bamboo skewers, insert the skewers into the long side of each lemon, about mid-way between the ends of each lemon.

Hint: To prevent the lemon from leaking lemon juice, you can apply paraffin by dripping candle wax on each pierced lemon, exactly where the skewer is inserted into the lemon. Still, be on the safe side and place your topiary carefully. Your fresh fruit may still leak juices. Use wax paper or other waterproof material to protect any surface where your topiary may sit.

Now, beginning at the top of the topiary, right beneath the pineapple that you’ve already placed. Push the skewered lemon into the foam, using a drop of hot glue at the insertion point to secure it to the foam. Create a “ring” around the foam at the top, beneath the pineapple.

The second ring of lemons will be placed in the same manner, directly below the first ring. Staggering the lemons so that they will not create a line, continue to create the second ring. Make sure that the second ring insertion is placed against the foam, but just slightly longer than the first ring. We’re attempting to create a slight pyramid style with our topiary, so each ring will extend slightly beyond each preceding ring.

Continue to glue your lemon skewers into the dry foam form until you have reached the brim of the container. Spacing will be critical since you will not want your lemons to look “crammed” together, or have too much space left over after the last ring is completed. You’ll want to leave a little space between each lemon for our next step.

For this step, you’ll need fresh cut or artificial boxwood (or any other type of tiny leafed stem). Cut your boxwood (or other type of stem), to short lengths about 1-3 inches and begin filling the areas between the lemons until the foam is no longer visible. If you’re using fresh boxwood, it’s okay to apply a small drop of glue to the end of the stem. Boxwood holds up beautifully under applications like this and will easily outlast the lemons and pineapple. When you’re inserting your boxwood, make sure that the tips of the leaves are about even with the outside surface of each lemon to create a full appearance. Pushing the foliage in too deep will create a “bumpy” look to your topiary. Leaving the boxwood too long, so that it extends beyond the surface of the lemons will make your topiary look “fuzzy.”

If you’d like to create a more colorful look to your Williamsburg style topiary, try using cranberries, by inserting a toothpick into the cranberry and strategically placing it in between the lemons and amongst the boxwood. By the time you‘ve reached the bottom of your topiary, toothpicks may not be long enough to apply your cranberries. In such a case, just use those bamboo skewers. It will work like a charm.

You can tie a small bow or several small bows to accent your topiary, just like the one in this photograph.

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