Gardening with Fake Plants

If you don't have the time to garden or you're not particularly good at it, you can fake it to make it. In the past, fake flowers were gaudy and over sized, blaring with unnatural colors and non-bending stiff stems. This is no longer the case. In fact, some fake flowers and plants are so realistic in size, color, texture, and shape you can't even tell the difference. There are hundreds of varieties of faux flowers made for outdoor use that can be purchased just about anywhere. Use fake plants in areas where growing isn't easy or to protect areas of your garden from hungry wildlife. You don't have to water fake plants, they never die, and they will last all season long. Here are some tips on using fake flowers and plants for outdoor gardening.

It can be very inexpensive to fill in your garden with a few faux plants, but it can be costly if you don't buy the right kinds of plants. Silk flowers and some plastics will fade quickly meaning you may have to replace them 2 or 3 times during the season. If you purchase fake plants made of a polyblend plastic, with UVA/UVB and rain protection it is likely they will last for 5-7 years. Of course, if using fake plants outdoors you will need to change them to follow the seasons. In the spring you should have some daffodils or tulips and during summer you should try black eyed susans, elephant ears, and ferns. For the best looking appearance spread your fake plants out evenly and not too close together. Mix with live plants to create a natural look.

Part of creating a natural look includes choosing plants of different heights, shapes, sizes, and colors. There are literally hundreds of faux plants like trees, flowers, shrubs, and bushes to choose from. You can create a tropical escape or a classic country garden using fake plants. You can add trees of different heights and textures, multiple flowering plants in a variety of colors, fill window boxes and planters, and even create beautiful hanging baskets with faux plants. Either way, you will never be more in love with your garden and you will have saved 50% of the cost and about 90% of the time it takes to grow all those plants.

Faux plants today are so lifelike that no one will be able to tell the difference, and you may become the envy of your neighbors. Just follow the seasons and make sure you pull out your daffodils and tulips at the end of spring. Research plants that would actually be in bloom for the time of year and use them. Your local florist or craft store may be able to assist you with choosing the right plants for the time of year. When "planting" your faux flowers insert them into the ground at different heights and bend the stems if different directions to create a natural look. They best way to achieve the most realistic view is to use a photo of the real plant for comparing while out in the garden. Try to imitate the way the leaves bend down or grow upward. Once you have positioned the plant that's pretty much it for the rest of the season.

There are several on-line stores that sell faux plants of all kinds. Choose from bamboo, trees, ferns, bushes, palms, cactus, gardenia, moss, ivy, daises, lillie's, iris, bleeding hearts, petunia, and more. The list is literally endless and there are many types and sizes to fit all gardens and budgets. During the spring begin with daffodils, pansies, hyacinth, impatiens, azalea, crocus, and tulips. Summer calls for lillie's, black eyed susans, sunflowers, geraniums, eucharis, and caladiums. Of course, there are many other fake plants to choose from depending on what type of look you want to achieve.

Hooks and Lattice, Gardecor, and Earth Flora all have a huge variety of faux plants and trees to choose from for outdoor use. Their plants are guaranteed not to fade and most have UVA/UVB and rain protection built right in. Lots of craft and flower stores also have fake flowers but they may not be the best for outdoor use. If it is made of silk don't use it outdoors and any plastic should be a polyblend to ensure the plant will last. With fake plants it is easy to build the garden of your dreams in only a few hours as opposed to several months. Add color and variety in minutes that will last all season.