EPCOT Topiaries : A History of the Hedges and Where to Find Them BY ALLYSON KOERNER
The International Flower &
Garden Festival is one of the prettiest annual events held at EPCOT . Despite the festival ’ s cancellation in 2020 due to COVID-19 , the floral celebration is thankfully going strong in 2021 — and with many gorgeous topiaries to boot .
Before diving into locations and which topiaries are available for photos this year , let ’ s take a look at the history of these captivating pieces .
THE TOPIARIES DIDN ’ T ALWAYS HAVE COLOR The topiaries are so much more than flowers and plants : They are artistic creations crafted by talented and educated individuals . The topiaries have also come a long way since Flower & Garden first debuted in 1994 .
“ Our topiaries used to be just green representations of the characters , and then we slowly started putting different plant material in it ,” horticulture manager Eric Darden , who oversees Flower & Garden , said in a 2017 Walt Disney World ( WDW ) Facebook video . “ We actually have people coming to paint the eyes and different features of the characters just to give them life .”
ABOVE : The topiaries are always a festival highlight . PHOTO BY BRETT SVENSON