Using Artificial Plants For Your Outdoor Decor
It's already mid-May but it's only just starting to feel like spring around here. Has your weather been like that too? There's been lots of cool, rainy days and I'm itching to spend more time outdoors. We have a covered porch at the front of the house and its a nice spot to get fresh air, enjoy a coffee, and watch all the dog walkers go by. Decorating this area for the season has always been fun, but it does have a unique challenge.
I love having plants and flowers on the porch but I'm terrible at keeping anything green alive. I usually have to toss out my dead plants before the season is over, and am left with an undecorated porch which is not ideal.
So when Décors Véronneau, a Quebec-based business that specializes in artificial plants and flowers, reached out and offered some products to try, I was intrigued. I love hearing about Canadian businesses that sell online (yay for no duties!) and I had never considered it before - but could using artificial plants outdoors be the solution I needed to have my porch looking good all season long?
Artificial plants and flowers are great if you have a black thumb like I do. I've used them indoors and appreciate their easy care and maintenance. They won't wilt if you forget to water them and they can be placed anywhere, no matter the sunlight conditions. They're basically indestructible.
Update: use code jennifer15 to get 15% off your purchase of $100+ on the Decors Veronneau website, from June 1st to 14th, 2019.
Can you use fake plants outdoors?
Yes you can. Artificial plants can withstand outdoor weather conditions and can be resistant to fading from UV rays. This particular 4.5" Areca palm comes with a 2 year warranty against discolouration. You can also use sprays and regular cleaning with a feather duster to keep your faux plants looking their best.
We had a brief sunny day so I set up the porch for spring. Here's a test - can you guess which of these plants are faux and which are real??
The begonia and fern are real and all the other plants are faux! I was so impressed by the quality and large variety of plants offered on the Décors Véronneau site, from potted plants to floral arrangements, boxwood topiaries to bamboo trees.
I think mixing faux plants in with real plants makes for a more realistic display. The geranium foliage (I've used two in the geometric planter) looks authentic with a mix of light and dark green leaves and white accents. The Areca palm tree is a great height for the porch, with leaves that droop nicely in a very natural manner. I appreciated that there were 'baby' leaves in the palm tree too, giving the plant that extra touch of realism.
Décors Véronneau also sells a variety of indoor and outdoor planters, lanterns, and accessories. I've used a few here, sticking to a natural wood, black, and white palette and combined them with outdoor items I already had like the rug and lion.
Mixing textures and heights in your outdoor decor keeps the display interesting and really catches the eyes of passersby. I'm especially fond of the round grey clay fiber planter that I used for the palm tree. Its round shape and muted colour contrasts nicely against the deep green and angular leaves.
I couldn't resist adding an olive wreath to the front door. Olive seems to be the trend of the moment (move over, fiddle leaf fig) and accented with gingham ribbon, it brings a pretty welcome to our entry. I love the colours of the olives and the small vines woven in the wreath. That attention to detail adds to the authenticity.
I am excited that this porch display will last me throughout the hot and humid months of summer. Should the begonia die (as it inevitably will in my care!), the porch will still look just as inviting. And Now if we could just get a few sunny days in a row, I can spend more time out here.
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Décors Véronneau. All words and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.
0 comments