Topiary and Epcot's Garden Festival
After 15 years of this Festival, the topiary exhibits have become phenomenal. In this site, I will emphasize the topiary that was exhibited this year (2008), illustrate with pictures I took, and add sections dealing with Topiary in general, and Epcot in particular.
Disney World is one of the most visited theme parks in the World. This is no surprise to anyone since its four major theme parks; Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and MGM, Disney World offers something for everyone.
But of all the parks, Epcot most attracts adults like me. I have been going regularly for many years, and the highlight of each year is the Annual Flower and Garden Festival.
This favorite travel destination must be seen to be believed. See you in Orlando!
Book Your Trip To Epcot Now!
Contents at a Glance
Countdown Until The 2009 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Opens
The 2009 Festival will open on March 18, 2009 and run through May 31, 2009. Put these dates on your calendar now, and start making plans now. You'll be glad you did.
(2009 International Flower & Garden Festival At Epcot is March 18, 2009)
Now, Back To Our Topiary Discussions!
What is "Topiary"? "Topiary Garden"?
1. the art of trimming trees or bushes into artificial decorative shapes or
2. trees or bushes trimmed into decorative shapes.
A garden is a plot of ground where plants are cultivated, so a "topiary garden" is characterized by the clipping or trimming of live shrubs or trees into decorative shapes, as of animals or other decorative shapes.
May 29, 2008 Photos Taken at Epcot
Here are some of the topiary and flower shots I recently took at Epcot during the final days of this year's Flower and Garden Festival.
The Topiary Process!
What follows is a synopsis of an article by the DIY Network ("Do It Yourself Projects"). The detailed article can be found at Sphagnum Topiary Characters. [I quote from part of the article below but the original has illustrative drawings of each step in the process and should be consulted]
If you progress step by step, it is relatively easy to create topiary characters using spagnum moss.
First, you develop your character's design. Then either fashion your wire frame yourself or have it done by a welder.
"Next, cover the frame with plastic mesh or bird netting. Use a very flexible grade: you'll need to be able to bend it to all the contours of your sculpture (figure A). Fasten the netting to the frame either with hognose clips (figure B) or with garbage ties. You can also wrap it with lightweight fishing line."
"Wet sphagnum moss thoroughly (wear gloves before handling it) so it will compact better, then pack it into the frame as tightly as possible. If your sculpture is very large, you can fill the interior with Styrofoam(R) balls.
Using a dibble or similar tool, push holes into the sphagnum at regular intervals and insert plant plugs. With bobby pins, train the leaders to begin growing in the right directions (figure C).
Climbing fig (Ficus pumila) is great for topiaries because it grows quickly. Since it's reliably cold-hardy only in Zone 8 and the South, Northern gardeners should use a hardy variety of ivy.
Keep your topiary moist to wet. Feed it with a water-soluble fertilizer (use 20-20-20 to ensure you're giving the plant lots of nitrogen) once a week for two months, reducing it to one dose every two weeks, and then once a month."
Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden - 2008 Exhibits
A perennial favorite of Epcot visitors year round is the butterfly garden. Enclosed with screening to keep the butterflies in, it is filled with plants to attract butterflies; various varieties of butterflies; and even a display of cocoons in progressive stages of development.
Every year during the garden event, there is one or more topiary butterflies in the area surrounding this attraction.
Links for Photos and Information on Previous Year's Festivals
- 2001 Photo Tour of Epcot Topiary
- This site is "Mouse Kingdom"'s Topiary Photo Tour of the 2001 International Flower & Garden Festival.
- Pluto Topiary - 10-19-2003
- Photography by: Toht, The Evil Short Nazi Guy From Raiders...10/19/2003.
- Epcot Entrance Topiary of Tinkerbell-2004
- This picture was presented on Webshots.Com' Home and Garden Section.
- Watch a Slide Show of Epcot's Topiary and Flowers on May 30-31, 2005
- Slide show from a gallery of pictures uploaded to smugmug.com.
- Epcot Entrance Topiary, 2005
- A professional quality shot by Joseph Levy.
- Donald Duck Topiary at 2007 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
- Picture provided by OrlandoSentinel.Com.
- Snow White Topiary
- Photo by Jessica Damiano found in TheMorningCall.Com
- Bambi Topiary
- Bambi is one of 20 different pictures found on this site from the 2007 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. The pictures were presented by Dawn Henthorn on the site About.Com:Florida Travel.
More Information On Epcot
Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow
Amazon Price: (as of 11/23/2009) 
Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World, The
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 11/23/2009)
Building A Better Mouse: The Story Of The Electronic Imagineers Who Designed Epcot
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 11/23/2009)
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I'd Love To Hear From You.
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Reply
- OhMe OhMe Jul 30, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
- Ohme! This is a beautiful lens on a very special festival. I hope you will add it to the plexo on my Festivals, Fairs and Other Special Events lens. Thank you.
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Reply
- spirituality spirituality Jul 14, 2009 @ 7:55 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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Reply
- LauraSchofield LauraSchofield Aug 6, 2008 @ 11:05 pm
- This was very interesting - I loved your photos of the topiaries!
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Reply
- Jun 12, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
- Very nice Lens 5* and welcome to Travelmania group
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