Best Faux Plants for the Front Porch
Every year in spring: I re-purchase hydrangeas & foxgloves for my front porch pots. Those particular flowers never seem to survive the harsh Central Oregon winters (in a pot)! This can get expensive though, if you’re re-buying plants every year. So this spring: I’ve given serious thought to adding in two fake topiaries….next to REAL hydrangeas. Because the thing about good fake plants is: almost no one can tell that they’re fake! Here, we’ll discover some of the best faux plants for your front porch ~ that will fool everyone!
Buying Tip: When purchasing fake plants, it’s better to go for trees or shrubs ~ which look more realistic than fake flowers, & hold up better outside. Also, better faux plants cost more. For instance, a cheap fake snake grass looks….well, cheap. But this $69 snake grass on Amazon looks real.
You’ve got to spend a little bit more to get an authentic-looking plant.
Best Faux Plants for Each Garden Type:
- In a TRADITIONAL OR COTTAGE GARDEN: Traditional homes & cottage gardens look great with large ferns cascading over a statement urn, or any kind of topiary (from tall ones to smaller, round balls). Even cedar pines (a type of evergreen) can work, particularly in a pair by the front door.
- In a DROUGHT-TOLERANT OR MODERN, DESERT LANDSCAPE: I’ve got three great picks for a more minimalist desert, or even Italian landscape: 1) Faux ficus trees help to add some nice green foliage; 2) Faux olive trees are a beautiful way to soften the landscape, & are drought-tolerant in real life: making them a realistic addition. Or 3) Faux grasses are ideal for desert landscapes, & great for softening.
- For a FRENCH COUNTRY FRONT PORCH: Because French gardens are famed for their elegant shapes & neatly-trimmed hedges: faux boxwood or faux topiary balls really compliment the French style. And don’t forget about accents, such as a beautiful tiered fountain. If you can place topiaries or fountains by a hedge of white hydrangeas: all the better. Large. statement urns are also the epitome of French style.
- In a WILD, NATURAL, OR PACIFIC NORTHWEST LANDSCAPE: With wild landscapes, grasses are the way to go. Even placed next to real grasses: it’s hard to tell which is fake, & which is real. Some great grasses available on Amazon are the distinctive snake grass, a more wispy-looking tall grass, & artificial feather read grass ~ which has fun white plumes on top, similar to Pampas grass.
- On a SOUTHERN FRONT PORCH: Gigantic ferns really say, “Southern Home!!” As do hydrangeas….but I’ve rarely seen good fake hydrangeas that can withstand the elements. Twirling topiaries look amazing on a Southern front porch, especially surrounded by real flowers & shrubs.
- For a MODERN FARMHOUSE FRONT PORCH: Modern farmhouse abodes (a style popularized by Chip & Joanna Gaines) will want to steer clear of anything too cutesy (like topiaries). Instead, stick with something more simple: such as a pair of faux evergreens by the front door, like in the photo below…
Front Porch Photo Inspo…
Faux ferns work in a variety of landscapes: traditional, cottage, farmhouse, French country, & especially on Southern front porches. These wonderful faux ferns on Amazon are even larger & more bold than those above.
If they’re too large, simply trim for a more shaped look.
This artificial olive tree on Amazon not only ships via Prime ~ but it’s over 6 feet tall! So for a real statement piece on your porch: this is a great choice.
Topiary plants add instant class & a sense of luxury to any home. Real ones require frequent watering & pruning: but faux topiaries look great, with no work!
Beautiful large black or beige urns look amazing with topiaries, ferns, boxwoods, & smaller rounded bushes, & work well for traditional, Southern, or French country homes.
Best Faux Plants for the Front Porch
I hope this article has been helpful! For more articles on various garden styles: read about colorful English cottage gardens, or more drought-tolerant, xeriscaped yard designs.
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: How to Create a French Country Garden
Have you used any of these fake plants on your own front porch? If yes, how are they holding up? Thanks, Rebecca
Hi Rebecca! Yes, I’ve used the fake ferns in two of my front window boxes. No one can tell that they’re fake! They’re on a covered porch that’s pretty well-protected from the sun, but it’s also a very WINDY area ~ & luckily, they’re doing just fine! They’ve got a long stake that I buried in the dirt, which keeps them from moving or falling out, due to wind. Hope that helps! xoxo Noelle