An outdoor planter with artificial flowers is a great way to enjoy beautiful flowers without worrying about watering or sunlight every day.
If you have struggled to keep plants alive in your outdoor space, I’ve gathered some beautiful ideas for decorating with artificial flowers to help create a vibrant, low-maintenance outdoor area.
Real flowers need care and attention that many people do not have time for in their busy daily schedules.
Hot weather dries them out too fast, and forgetting to water them can make them die quicker than expected.
That’s why more people are choosing artificial flowers to keep their outdoor spaces looking colorful and fresh without extra work.
At first, I did not think artificial flowers would be good enough to replace real ones in outdoor planters.
I was surprised to see that they make the best UV resistant flowers that look just as nice as real ones.
They are designed to last through different weather conditions without fading or getting ruined easily over time.
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If you want your patios, beautiful front porches, or garden areas to stay beautiful without effort, these artificial flowers are a perfect choice today.
So, let me show you how to arrange them properly to make them look real outside.
Plus, I’m going to share some of the best artificial flowers that work well in any outdoor setting.
Can Artificial Flowers And Plants Be Used Outside
This is such a common question and honestly, I had the same question when I started looking into UV-protected artificial flowers.
These are particularly meant to be used outside and to get lots of sunlight. The UV protection blocks the ultraviolet light from damaging the faux plants and from fading, just like sunbrella fabric for outdoor cushions and pillows.
Some of the faux plants are plastic and that helps with rain and cleaning.
There are some artificial plants with UV protectant that people use in their landscaping.
Now the life expectancy is not as long obviously as a perennial plant but it can be a great idea to help fill in your landscaping when you have little pockets of space needing to be filled in.
How Long Do Artificial Flowers And Plants Last Outside
The life expectancy of artificial flowers and plants will depend on if they are under a covered area or in direct sunlight.
They are sturdy enough to survive the elements for years and resist fading but will last even longer if on a patio with an overhang or a front porch shielded from the direct sun.
Of course, this will also depend on the materials it is made of so look for UV-protected and polyethylene blend materials.
I have heard that you can spray them with WD-40, which helps repel water but I have not tried it myself yet.
How Do You Make Fake Flowers And Plants Look Real Outside
So my best advice on how to use fake flowers outside is to make sure the leaves are not lime green and look close to the natural color of the real plant.
Generally, plant colors have variation so selecting faux options that aren’t solid help to disguise they are not real.
Also, I like to make my planters with artificial flowers and faux plants really full. So they look like they have been growing for years and the plants are overlapping each other.
I share more about how to do this in the tutorial below.
Outdoor Artificial Flowers
I thought it would be helpful to shop for some fake plants for front porch so you can select the colors you would like and mix and match them for your planters.
I love to also use Krylon UV Protectant Spray for a little extra protection for my outdoor plants. This stuff is gold!
Planters For Artificial Flowers
While you are at it and shopping for new faux flowers for your porch or patio, here are some of my favorite planters to use.
These are classic designs that will go with just about any home exterior.
How To Fill An Outdoor Planter With Artificial Flowers And Faux Plants
Okay, so I am going to go through how I made these planters on my front porch. I found these zinc planters years ago and found almost identical ones here.
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I chose tall planters for here because my porch is small and narrow.
This adds some height to it but you could easily recreate these in small planters and it would look great too.
Step 1: Use Foam Blocks
Fill the base of the planter with whatever you want.
Using old bricks we had in the garage, I just stacked them inside the base and then cut these foam blocks and put them on top.
I cut the foam blocks with an Exacto knife making them snug so there would be no movement in the plants once they were put in.
Step 2: Start With Your Tallest Plant Or Flower And Stick Into Foam
I chose artificial geraniums for the main base of my arrangement. They are full and tall.
Depending on your planter you may want to place 2 of whatever you are starting with to create even more fullness.
When you are placing them in, push them in as far as they will go. This will make them more sturdy and not flop over if there is some gusty wind.
Tip
Remember the more full your arrangement is the more real it will look!
Step 3: Next Fill In The Base Around Your Main Flowers With Faux Plants
I used faux boxwood picks and sprigs of faux maidenhair fern picks.
Using the boxwood picks first, I went around in a circle, sticking them in. I used seven per planter.
Then I used 2-3 of the maidenhair fern and tucked them in where there were gaps.
When you are done it should look like this below.
More Outdoor Decorating Ideas + Inspiration
Step 4: Next Add The Ivy And Draping Flowers
This is when your outdoor artificial flower arrangements will come to life! This is what I mean by making your planter feel full and look real.
I used 2 faux ivy sticks (these are not UV protected but I thought they would be fine since this is a covered space) and then tucked 3 of the artificial purple wisteria sticks into 2 sides of the planter, layering them on top of each other.
I took the purple flowers and tucked them into the leaves of the ivy to look like they were growing together.
And that’s it, friends! I told you it was super easy and the main key is layers. Layer, layer, layer!
I mean in most good designs it is all about layers and it holds true when filling an outdoor planter with artificial flowers and faux plants.
Here is a look at our front porch from the walkway so you can see how real they look. I mean I still look at them in awe because they are so pretty!
Tap Photos To Shop
Okay so now it is your turn to make some planters with faux plants and flowers.
I want to see what you create! Below are my favorites to choose from to help you get started.
How To Fill An Outdoor Planter With Artificial Flowers
Use these detailed steps to fill an outdoor planter with artificial flowers and create a stunning display that will last all season.
Materials
- Foam Blocks
- Planter
- Faux Flowers - 2-3 Varieties
- Faux Plants - 2-3 Varieties
Instructions
1. Fill the base of the planter with whatever you have on hand to add weight and fill up the base. Then using the foam blocks, add them to the top. You may need to cut them to make them fit.
2. Start with the tallest plant or flower and stick it into the middle of the foam blocks. Depending on how big your planter is you may want to place 2 of whatever you are starting with to create even more fullness.
3. Next fill in the base around your main flowers with faux plants. Mix and match them in to create a more whimsical look.
4. Add ivy and/or draping flowers to the sides to create a cascading effect.
5. (Optional) Spray your arrangement with a UV protectant spray.
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Where did you purchase the basket on your door? I imagine the side against the door is flat!