The post mentioning chicken wire for topiaries reminded me of the time I formed chicken wire into the shape of a peacock's body, filled it with spagnum moss, planted a ground cover of some sort (can't recall exactly what). Then for the bird's tail, planted a bed of impatients in a long, kinda of fan shape, like, well, a tail. I have not visited this forum before, so maybe someone has already mentioned this idea.

Only, must admit the green planting in the moss didn't last very long as it dried out very rapidly; so if I ever attempted this project again, I would try planting an ivy in the ground beneath the peacock's "body" so itd grow up through. Suppose one could use most any kind of low growing flower for the "tail".