Spring Into Landscaping With Artificial Plants, Flowers, And Trees

I love this time of year when the snow finally melts and it’s time to get outside and dig in the dirt. The trees start to bud, and the brown dinginess of late winter turns green. That’s when my thoughts turn to adding color and landscaping to my yard.

Spring is the perfect time to make a landscaping plan for your yard. It’s also the perfect time to think about using artificial plants in your outdoor landscaping.

What? Fake flowers in yard? Who does that? More people than you think. Using artificial outdoor plants is a growing trend for several reasons.

Here are some ideas for landscaping with fake flowers:

Fake plants are easy to take care of.

They don’t require watering or fertilizing. They look good no matter whether you have a flood or a drought. And caring for plants is one less thing busy people have to put on their to-do lists. Just be sure, though, that you don’t go after cheap artificial plants. They’ll fade more quickly and might stand out as looking fake or tacky.

Faux plants are also a great choice for fire-prone areas.

You can get the look of nature without adding fuel for a fire to your yard.

Pro Tip: Agave landscaping ideas:

Want to add agave to your landscaping but don’t have a spot with enough sun or warm enough temperatures? Use this Spiked Agave instead.

This Spiked Agave can bring the beauty of arid climates to areas of your yard that don’t have enough sun.

Using artificial plants also allows for more variety.

You can get the plant you want in the space you want it in without having to worry about whether it has the right soil or the correct amount of sun. Artificial plants and trees can make an oasis of beauty out of those spots in your yard where nothing seems to grow. There are so many ways to incorporate the great outdoors of landscaping into your space. Whether that be using artificial native flower arrangements or go for a more modern look with fake outdoor artificial landscape plants.

Does this mean you should get rid of live plants entirely? Definitely not. Live plants bring beauty and environmental benefits to your yard, but with a little creativity you can combine live and artificial plants to create a beautiful landscape around your home.

Fake plants can serve as a focal point

Use large faux plants like palms, conifers and banana plants to create focal points in your landscaping. Identify areas in your yard that you want to draw attention to, then add a large outdoor artificial plant. One advantage of a faux tree or tall shrub is that you can get just the size you want without worrying about it growing too tall or its roots taking over the rest of the yard.

Want to create a focal point in your yard? Try this Anthurium Leaf arrangement.

Tall shrubs like this Anthurium Leaf arrangement can create a focal point, with out added maintenance.

You can put the large faux plant in a container or plant it directly into the ground, depending on the look you’re trying to create. Plant some colorful live flowers around the base or use faux shrubbery and flowers to create a multi-level look.

Another great idea for creating a focal point for your front or back yard is to add landscape lights around and in between faux and live plants. My favorite landscape lights are the 5W LED Garden Lights from ZUCKEO.

Borders and hedges reduce the time spent maintaining your yard

Is trimming hedges not your thing? Check out this Boxwood Ball Topiary.

 

Leave the hedge trimmers in the shed, this decorative Boxwood Ball Topiary is maintenance-free.

If you don’t want to spend your Summer trimming hedges, consider faux hedges and shrubbery to create backdrops of greenery. Line the walkways in your landscaping with shorter shrubs like boxwood. They create an eye-pleasing border without no need to invest the time to keep them trimmed and neat. You can even use artificial plants to create a faux “live wall” for privacy around your deck or patio.

If you choose to keep your live hedges or shrubs, my favorite gardening tool to keep them looking perfect is the Cordless Hedge Trimmer from BLACK+DECKER.

Overcome obstacles with faux alternatives

Love the look of a palm tree, but you don’t live in the tropics? Add an artificial one to your landscaping.

Bring the tropics to your deck or tiki bar with artificial Bamboo Trees.

Shade can be a landscaper’s worst enemy. If you’re having a hard time finding a plant that will grow in a shady spot that gives you the look you’re interested in creating, try artificial plants and flowers. High-quality faux plants will look real and will save you the frustration of trying to coax plants to grow.

Artificial plants also allow you to create a look with plants that may not grow well in your yard because they aren’t drought-tolerant or can’t handle too much moisture. When using artificial plants, no plant is off-limits. Create the aesthetic you want without worrying about the upkeep.

Create realism so no one knows the difference

Want a realistic look to your faux flowers? Try using these individual standing red amaryllis flowers.  Arrange them in a container or as part of a border, and no one will know they aren’t live plants.

Individual red or white amaryllis flowers can help add a splash of color wherever you need them. 

Don’t want anyone to know you used faux plants and flowers in your landscaping? Then you should stick with plants that are native to your area. Tropical plants won’t normally grow in a colder climate, so be aware of what plants are logical to have in your yard.

High-quality fake plants and flowers are designed to mimic the real things. They should have flaws and not be perfectly symmetrical. Make them look even more realistic by letting faux flowers and foliage drape over each other and intertwine as they would if they were live plants. Don’t make your artificial plants and flowers look too neat or they won’t look natural.

Containers can create an amazing look for your artificial plants

Need to spruce up your front door? An interesting topiary like this Spiral Topiary can create an intriguing and welcoming look.

A spiral topiary can bring a touch of elegance to your entry way or front porch.

Plants in containers can spruce up your porch, patio, flower beds and deck. Fill containers with faux flowers, letting them droop over the sides to create a care-free, casual look.

Consider this lovely Whiskey Barrel gardening container from Classic Home and Garden Store.

Topiaries in planters can be a welcoming sight at your front door or as the focal point of a front-yard flower bed.

Don’t limit yourself to just faux flowers. Consider planting live flowers in containers and using faux greenery to give the arrangement some height or a more dramatic flair.

Have a landscaping plan

Looking for some landscaping tips? Check out this video. Remember you can use the same landscaping rules for artificial plants that you use for live ones.

Good landscaping design is the same whether you use artificial plants and flowers or live ones. You need focal points, color schemes and a variety of shapes and heights. Create a landscaping plan to help you decide the best places to use fake flowers and plants. When using faux flowers and plants outside, be sure to purchase UV-resistant plants so that you can enjoy them for many years.

No matter how you choose to landscape your lawn, enjoy the color and joy that a well-landscaped yard will bring.

Let me know how it turns out, and as always, contact me with any questions.

–Barb