I moved into the Dollhouse in mid-June of last year. A few days after moving in, I discovered the house had two window boxes: one outside an upstairs bedroom window, and one outside the front window of the dining room. Initially, I had no idea they were there because they were completely hidden by a Crabapple tree that covered that entire side of the house, blocking the walkway to the front door. Instead of cutting back the branches that were blocking the door, I decided to have the tree removed. It made the dining room dark and dreary, and I wanted to bring the window boxes back to life.
After having the tree removed in late July or early August, I visited a local garden center to shop for flowers for the window boxes. The pickings were slim so late in the summer. I went with Pentas, and once the initial blooms withered and fell off, they never really flowered great again. It was difficult to keep them watered. If I skipped one day, they looked terrible. Even though they were planted in quality Faford potting soil, sometimes even watering them once a day wasn’t enough. My grandsons tried to help with the watering when I was back in Georgia for a few weeks, but eventually they died out. I think everyone was a little relieved when they finally croaked, since even the once-a-day waterings didn’t seem to be enough.
This year, I decided to try something different so I don’t have to burden my grandsons with watering flowers when I’m not here. Plus, the faux flowers I’ve been seeing look amazingly real! I ordered 4 different types/brands of faux flowers before finally finding some that looked the way I envisioned. In the photo below, I was trying out two different types to see which looked best from the outside. I hadn’t really fluffed them out a lot—was mainly checking out the size of the blooms and how visible they were from the sidewalk and road.
So after a few weeks of trying out various flowers, these are the ones I settled on. The foliage and the flowers look very realistic from the road, the sidewalk, the yard, and my walkway. Even up close, they look amazingly real!
After I took a bunch of photos, I realized I left one bunch of yellow flowers on a chair in the dining room. I added those in later, so the window boxes are slightly fuller now than what you’re seeing in this post.
I think these are supposed to mimic Begonias. Looking at these photos, I think I’ll pull some of the stems up a little to vary the height a bit more. I always notice things in photos that I don’t notice in person. I’ve ordered more for the upstairs window box. Those should arrive in a few days. They will be trickier to position since I won’t be able to place them from the outside. I see a lot of running up and down the stairs in my future. lol
Here’s a view from my walkway, standing as close as possible without falling into the shrubs. So this is what a visitor to my home would see as they approach the house, although they would probably be a foot or so farther away since I was standing right at the edge of the walkway, and not in the center.
The view from inside with the window and screen closed.
I’m really happy with how these look. They are supposed to be UV resistant, but if they only last one spring/summer season, I’ll be happy. If you’re interested in adding some faux flowers to your planters or window boxes, these are the ones I purchased: Faux Flowers for Planters and Window Boxes. (Note: I purchased two sets and each set contained 5 bundles. I used the pink, purple, yellow, and white bundles/blossoms from each set.)
What do you think? Do you like how they turned out? I think it will be fun experimenting each year to see what looks best. I’ll share another photo once I add them to the top window box, too.
I love your faux flowers and have a suggestion for the upstairs window box. Take a photo of the downstairs ones and if you’d like the upstairs to match, just open the photo and arrange. Would save the running up and down. You could rearrange the colors but you’d have the height changes you like.
Brilliant suggestion, Sandy.
Thanks, Sandy—great idea! I think the most difficult part will be positioning them so they look natural and spill over a little. That was pretty easy to do while standing in front of them, but I think it will be tricky doing that while standing behind them. The other sets of flowers are supposed to arrive on Friday, I think. I can’t wait to get them in the upstairs window box.
They look wonderful! I’ve also gone artificial and so happy I did.
I can understand why, Winnie! It’s so frustrating trying to keep them alive during the summer months.
XXX
They look great Susan! I’ve been so impressed with “modern” faux flowers, and this is a perfect way to use them – your house looks even more darling! Thanks for the idea and the link!
I know, it’s amazing how real-looking they have gotten! Thanks, Barbara! Next I need to deal with my weedy yard. I’m back in Fescue h-e-double hockey sticks with the lawn. I was so happy to finally have a zoysia yard, and not have to oversee every single fall, but unfortunately, zoysia doesn’t do well here, so here we go again.
I too bought faux flowers for my front porch. The deer eat most anything I put out there. How do you keep the flowers in place? Foam of some sort?
Originally, I thought I would need to remove all the dirt I had purchased/used in the window boxes, but the stems stuck beautifully down into the dirt, so I just left it. I think foam would get waterlogged from the rains, so I’m not sure that would work well. Dirt works great! lol
Those flowers look great. They look very natural and real. Good choice. Can’t wait to see the upstairs window box. The front of the house will look wonderful with the additional color. Another winner!
Thanks so much, Linda! I’d love to add a dovecote out front eventually. 🙂
I am just now, leaving LOWES w/a “load of plants”…
My hubs is thinking…”why didn’t you read Susan first”…gulp… franki
ps The boxes look marvelous!!!
I still love real flowers for my flower beds and pots/planters that are easy to reach for watering. But if you have window boxes, this seems like a popular way to go. I’ll let you know how it works out, Franki! I would love to see pictures of your plantings!
I did this a few years ago. I loved them until they faded. Which took a couple of years. We get full sun on the front of the house. I do not have a very green thumb and because of the summer heat here in NC my flowers look pretty sad by mid summer. I am going to check these out!
I hope these will be good for two summers. I’ll pull them out at the end of summer to use again if they aren’t too badly faded.
I know what you mean, it’s so hard to keep everything watered by midsummer.
I have lived on the beach in NJ for many years, it is very hard to keep real flowers up here with the salt air and winds. We have a large porch where I put about 10 planters around with flowers, I have tried many varieties, I find vincas do best they are hardy, trailing vincas look nice in the pots. I also have a long wicker planter I fill with faux geraniums that I purchased at Michael’s a few years ago, they look very natural. Your flowers look great, very realistic, you did a good job arranging them also!
Oh, wow…I bet the salt air and winds do make it a challenge! That’s great to know about Vincas! Someone mentioned that faux geraniums look great, too. I may try those in the planters for next year. Thanks for the tip about Michaels. Amazon seems to have those, too.
I have been in the silk flower business since 1981 here in Scottsdale Az, where artificial is a must! I have used them outside for decades, not the same ones of course! They look so incredibly real. And a real advantage is that you save by not having to water them. If they look dusty, just hose them off.
I bet! I can see how it would be a challenge to keep things watered in AZ. Judy, where do you normally buy your artificial flowers each year?
I think they look great!!!! I’ve done and still do an occasional faux myself
Thanks, Marie!
XXX
They look so real! If you are OK with the boxes being just a little different, the top one might look good with a few trailing types of greenery hanging over the side.
Oh, that sounds pretty too. I like that idea, Mia.
Thanks, Mia! I thought about adding some trailing greenery, but honestly, the ones I saw online looked pretty fake. If I could find some that looked real, I would love that.
They look so pretty and real!! I have had a faux boxwood bush in a planter in full sun all day for five years now and it still looks great. They make them so much better now.
Barbara, that sounds like something I could use. Do you remember where you bought it? Thanks.
I bought it on Amazon. Silk Tree Warehouse One 2 Foot Outdoor Artificial Boxwood Ball Topiary Bush Potted UV Rated Plant by Bagari
It won’t let me post the picture but this is the description.
Thank you so much!
Wow! Now that’s a quality boxwood plant! Many years ago I ordered two, expensive, faux boxwood topiary plants for my front porch from Ballard Designs. They looked faker than fake. They were terrible and Ballard would not let me return them even though I live 20 minutes away and could return them in person. I didn’t shop with them for several years after that, I was so mad. I don’t know if they have changed, but you have to be very careful ordering from them. I would never order without seeing the item in person since they make returns so difficult. I only like to shop at places that make returns easy if you don’t like the item or it’s not as described. Thanks for sharing the source of where you found your topiairies. I will look for them on Amazon!
I’d like to see you try a single type flower in a single color. Perhaps you could add an interesting type of plant that can fall over the planter. Your beautiful home is classic.
Thanks so much, Anna! You know, I thought about that because using one or two colors only would probably look even more natural/real using fewer colors, but the flowers that I thought looked the most real out of the four orders I purchased, were only available in certain sets/colors. I wasn’t ready to limit myself to just the color combinations they showed, so I decided to go with the multi-colored sets and not use the red from each set. My favorite colors in the garden are typically, purples/lavenders, yellows, blues, and pinks. I may play around with these during the summer and try some different looks.
They’re pretty in your pictures, much nicer looking than the ones our neighbor has in her upstairs windowbox.
It took me ordering 4 different brands/sets before I settled on these. I don’t think I would have kept them if they truly looked fake from the road. As I do this more and more, hopefully, I can improve each time and avoid the truly fake look. lol
I think they look fantastic! I truly do! And what a relief to just ‘plant’ them and go. No worries about watering or them being overheated. They look great, Susan. I purchased a hanging basket of faux flowers this year (then added more) and am very pleased with it. Yes, I would love real flowers, but the heat is brutal in summer and this makes so much more sense.
Were you happy with the outcome of your house wash?
Thanks so much, Pam! I know, it’s such a relief to know I don’t have to struggle trying to keep these alive and flowering all summer. Massive weight off my shoulders. I spent a fair amount last year and they only looked good for about two weeks before they barely had flowers on them and then the heat kicked in. So, this should work much better this year.
Yes, he did a great job! The roof looks great, too! I need to start planning to have the trim painted. I’d like to find someone to reapply the German Smear or Lime Wash (or whatever it is) to the areas where it’s worn away over the years.
Looks beautiful, nice selection! I think you’ll be happy – I’ve done this for several years now and get about 2 years out of one set (I take them in for the winter) Works well in hanging baskets too
That’s great! I’ll be thrilled if I can get a second year out of them. Thanks, Cindy!
What a phenomenal idea! Thank you!!
Wendy in Suwanee
Thanks so much, Wendy!
XXX
Susan, they look great. So glad that you made the decision to go with fake. Another suggestion: spray them with a clear waterproof sealant. They will last longer that way.
Thanks, Michele! I ordered Sunbrella spray to do that, but before spraying all the flowers, I tested it on a purple petal, a white petal and I think a yellow one. I realllllly disliked how they looked afterward. The pink turned a much darker color, and after it dried, it stayed that dark color. I took a photo that I’ll share in an upcoming post once the flowers arrive for the top window box. I’m glad I didn’t spray all of them because it gave them a plastiky look and changed the color. Maybe there are sprays out there that won’t do that.
They look great, Susan. Begonias are a great choice through early fall!
Thanks so much, Rita!
I think they look great. What about adding some trailing ivy or any other type of trailing vine?
Thanks, Jan! If I could find some that doesn’t look fake, I love that idea. A lot of the trailing greenery I saw online looked pretty fake.
Looks great and I really like the color combo. You might want to try adding some faux ivy to trail over the window boxes a bit. I think that adds a lot to the realistic look.
Never thought I’d ever use faux in my window boxes but so glad I did. Faux has come a long way.
Thanks so much, Karen! Yes, it really has! I love the idea of the trailing ivy if I can find some that looks realistic enough. 🙂
Looks good. Even looking out the window they brighten things up. Faux geraniums really look real.
I hadn’t thought to look for those, but they do look really realistic online. I will keep that in mind for another time. Thanks for that suggestion, Kathleen!
Hi Susan, looks so cheerful! I have to echo some of the preceding suggestions of adding a bit of trailing ivy (or greenery) to soften, add interest and texture to the planters. Also, if the plants have a BIT of variation in heights, as opposed to a straight line-up, it makes the flowers appear more real too. These are tips I learned from volunteering at our local arboretum and creating planters with live plants. But overall, you created a charming addition to your doll house! Can’t wait to see what you do next!
Thanks, Rosie! Yup, I thought about the height thing after I took photos. When I saw the photos that’s when I realized I needed to vary the height…great suggestion! If I can find some trailing ivy/greenery that looks real, I love that idea. I may shop for that in person since I think it will be a bit tricky to find…at least the kind that looks real.
A suggestion for finding great looking faux ivy is making sure that the color goes through the leaf. Sometimes, it is green on just the front and if it twists, it looks fake immediately. I made that mistake. 🙁 You may not have to vary the height of the flowers by just adding faux spikes here and there. I know, I am good at spending other people’s money. 🙂 Have fun….You are creating an absolute dream house!
lol Well, I appreciate those suggestions! I tried adjusting the height of the existing flowers yesterday, and it didn’t work that well due to how they are made. I couldn’t get much height between the plants, so I started looking online for some taller, skinny plants that I could add in betwee. I found some thing looked promising. I haven’t ordered them yet, but I def think that would make it all more realistic. Thanks for that tip on the ivy! I will definitely watch for that!
Whatever you do, it will be beautiful to look at…that’s the important part. I love flower boxes; they add so much interest. Have a great weekend.
These look great! I, too, have added some Amazon Faux flowers to my front porch urns and they look so good AND the rabbits haven’t bothered them at all!
Thanks so much, Zenda! Yay! That saves on cost, too!
Those look fabulous…I have used just the red ones before, but I’m thinking of getting the multi colored. Even though they are UV resistant, a florist told me to spray them with a clear polyurethane. Michael’s has a clear spray for your faux flowers. I tried it 2 years ago and they still look good this year, and I live in the South.
Try spraying them.
Thanks so much, Debbie! I tried spraying a petal or two with Scotchgard and it really darkened the petal and made the things in the center of the flower look very plasticky. I need to find a spray that won’t do that. I’ll check Michaels…I need to do that before they start fading.
Great call, Susan!! They look lovely! After spending LA-HOTS of money on geraniums over the years, I went with faux flowers last year or the year before that cost me less than $5 more than what I spent on two geranium baskets each year. The geranium baskets flushed out in early spring, then looked pretty dead for a few weeks till I cut them back and they flushed out again. I have not regretted putting out the faux flowers. Less work; look great!
That sounds like my experience with growing geraniums. They always look amazing at the start, then never as good (as they originally did) the rest of the growing season, even though I do fertilize them.
I’ll be thrilled if these last two springs/summers!
Thanks, Carolyn for sharing your experience. I feel like this is going to a great thing for these window boxes. Last year, it was so much work trying to keep the flowers watered, and they never looked that great the rest of the summer.
Susan, the flower boxes look great with the multi-colors. I might make one suggestion from my love of gardening and being a Master Garden graduate.
The rule of thumb for real container plantings is something a bit taller, something that spreads, and something that trails down. Varying the height as you mentioned is perfect, and adding some trailing faux ivy or other trailing greenery would complete your look as real flowers. I LOVE all of your inspiring ideas…keep us posted as you always do!
Diane