Rosemary "Christmas trees" have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Various designs and arrangements can be purchased everywhere from big box stores and supermarkets to high-end nurseries and floral shops.

Potted rosemary before making a topiary. If your garden rosemary is still alive and thriving, or you have already brought your rosemary indoors, there may be time to make a topiary form for the holidays. Click photo for larger image. Related Story: Topiaries, classes await visitors to Phipps

These topiaries are an appropriate size for tables and dressers as well as a fragrant decoration for a bathroom. However, caring for some rosemary topiaries can be a challenge.

There are many different styles of topiary available, from conical to ball shapes to outlines of hoops, hearts, etc. The dense conical shapes are the most difficult to keep alive. The close clipping of the outer branches and the size and density of the plant compared with the size of the pot makes watering a messy and difficult job. If possible, transplant this type of topiary into a slightly larger pot to improve its survival rate.

Dense ball shapes, whether single or multiple, are slightly easier to water. Open designs also allow easier watering.

Changes in temperature also pose problems. Many of the plants have been nurtured in a specialized environment with steady temperature and humidity control. The mere act of transporting the topiary across the parking lot and into your car can put the plant into irrecoverable shock!

To decrease the shock to the topiary, try to purchase on a calm, preferably mild day. Protect the topiary with a bag over the top or shelter it under your coat for the trip to and from the car.

	Rosemary trained onto a hoop topiary frame. Click photo for larger image.

If the root ball or soil seems dry, place the container in a sink filled with enough water to come halfway up the pot. After a few minutes, allow it to drain thoroughly before placing in its final position.

For most people, it is rather late to start a topiary form for the holiday season. However, if your garden rosemary is still alive and thriving, or you have already brought your rosemary indoors, there may be time.

Much depends on the current shape of the plant. If you pinched it through the summer, it may be compact and in need of just a little help to get into shape. More commonly, the plant will have several semi-woody stems and an abundance of shorter softer branches to work with. This type of plant is easier to form into an open topiary shape such as a circle or heart shape.

Look for side branches from the main stem that are 8 to 12 inches in length and preferably equally spaced around the main stem. Using craft wire or an old metal coat hanger, form the outline for the topiary and decide which branches you will use. Trim the main stem above these branches. If the reserved branches are pliable, wind them gently around the metal shape. If the branches are woody, use wire to attach them to the form. Attach any side stems, too, to give it a fuller look. However, if the side stems are too numerous, unevenly spaced or woody, remove them.

Rosemary requires good sunlight, relatively low moisture and a cool winter location. For the few weeks of the holiday season, if you need to place your rosemary in a less than ideal light environment, then do so. But remember to promptly return it to a cool but sunny site in the new year.

Keep the topiary well trimmed so that side branches do not obscure the outline, and use the trimmings from the plant in the kitchen.

You can decorate some topiary for the holiday season. Wind silver or gold ribbon along the stems or around the outline, and place a decoration at the apex of the form. However you celebrate the season, a rosemary topiary will be an added attraction to your holiday decorations.