Each year when summer arrives, I find myself wanting things to feel a little easier. That shift shows up in small ways, including how I style my front porch flower pots. Instead of adding more, I’m drawn to choices that are simple to maintain and still feel welcoming. This year, that meant trying something new.
Why I Decided To Try Faux Greenery
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always used real plants in my front porch flower pots. It’s just what I’ve done, and I never really questioned it. There’s something about fresh greenery that feels like part of the season, especially in the summer.
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But over time, I started to notice that keeping everything looking the way I wanted was taking more effort than it used to. Between the heat, the watering, and trying to keep things from getting tired halfway through the season, it began to feel less enjoyable and more like something I had to keep up with.
I resisted the idea of faux greenery for a long time. It never quite felt like “me,” and I think I associated it with having to give up something I loved. But this year, I decided to try it. Just to see how it would feel. What surprised me most wasn’t how it looked, but how it changed the way I feel about my porch. There is nothing to manage or worry about, and I know I will enjoy the space more because I don’t have to think about what needs to be done.
Choosing Faux Greenery That Feels Natural
That doesn’t mean I won’t ever use real plants again. I still love them, and there’s nothing quite like the real thing. But I realized something important in the process. I don’t need to prove anything with my plants. If something makes my home easier to care for, and still feels welcoming and beautiful, that’s enough. And for this summer, that’s exactly what I wanted.
I spent quite a bit of time looking before making a decision. I read reviews, compared options, and didn’t rush into anything. After all, this is my front door, and I didn’t want something that looked so artificial it felt out of place. In the end, I think I found a good balance. The greenery looks very real at a glance, but it doesn’t try too hard to be perfect. If you look closely, you can tell it’s faux, but from a distance, it blends in beautifully with the rest of the porch. It gives me the look I love, without the extra upkeep.
Keeping The Rest Simple & Familiar
Once the planters were in place, the rest of the porch came together very easily. I didn’t feel the need to add anything new, which was a nice change. I simply used layered doormats and pillow covers that I already had, and everything fell into place naturally. To tie it all together, I added the same faux greenery to the door planters, the pot of lavender, and the door wreath. The extra greenery looks like rosemary, and that one small detail made everything feel cohesive almost instantly, in a way that felt simple and just right.
A Front Porch That Feels Easy
The planter update made my porch feel simpler, and in a season when I want to spend more time enjoying my home instead of managing it, that feels like the right choice. Your summer porch doesn’t have to be complicated to feel welcoming. Sometimes the easiest solutions are the ones that make the most sense.
Living simply is often a choice, and sometimes it means making decisions that feel a little unfamiliar at first. It can take a bit of planning, and occasionally a willingness to do things differently than you have in the past. But in the end, when your everyday routine becomes easier and more enjoyable, those small shifts feel completely worthwhile.
Shop & Source
- White planters
- Faux plants
- Door wreath
- Faux rosemary bunches
- Blue striped rug
- Welcome doormat (very similar)
- White rockers
- White rockers (less expensive Polywood option)
- Side table
- Pillow covers
- Ohio Stoneware crock
- Faux lavender
If you’re looking for more ideas, I’ve shared the story behind my blue front door color, which continues to set the tone for this space year after year. You might also enjoy seeing last summer’s front porch, where I used real plants and a fresh pink and white palette. And if you prefer a simple starting point, my basic porch and patio decorating ideas offer a few easy ways to pull everything together without overthinking it.
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Agreed- we don’t have to prove anything to anybody by types plants we use
July kills everything so i mix w faux
Can you tell us where you bought the fake that looks so good? I have not been unable to find real looking fake.
I’ve found beautiful and realistic looking faux greenery and wreaths at Hobby Lobby.
Hi Margie! Here is the link to the faux plants: https://amzn.to/3QBjKNy Enjoy!
I feel the same as you do.I am going the faux route with my front porch and door also.Keeping it simple as always.
This past winter my three 100+ year old pin oak trees had to be removed from my front yard. I now have shade plants around my front porch stoop that need to be moved to the back. I’m so sad as they had just gotten established and looking nice. I’m retiring from the school system this year so I will have time to work on it but it is already getting so hot here in Georgia.
It looks fresh and clean.
I lived in Texas for over twenty years and the only thing that never failed me was portulaca baskets.
That would last from spring to the first frost. I moved to the mid Atlantic a few years ago and was fortunate to buy a home that has many flowering bushes that look beautiful in the spring. However once May is over I am lucky enough to have purchased several portulaca baskets to hang on shepherds hooks and they are reasonably priced and again last to the first frost. They come in various colors and are priced very reasonable. So if you still want a real plant that takes no work at all….try a portulaca basket that you can hang or sit in a planter.
I do not have a green thumb so these are my go to every spring.
I have always taken great pride in my front porch flowers and hanging baskets. This was a huge decision for me, but I decided to go to all faux flowers as well. I got ones that look so real that it’s definitely difficult to tell. I am ready to just enjoy my front porch without all the watering and upkeep. Thanks for sharing your porch decorating ideas. Yours look fabulous.
Thank you, Ann. I used artificial greenery one summer, but they faded from the sun. I still use these pieces under our shady porch, and I still appreciate the ease of having them. Will be purchasing the lavender!
I always appreciate your tips and ideas.
The last two summers my front porch hanging baskets have not done well. One year I was back and forth from my daughter’s home taking care of things there while they were away on vacation and my plants suffered. The next year I was home, but the plants didn’t look that great after a couple of weeks. The original family owned nursery where we bought beautiful flower baskets for decades has closed due to their retirement. I think the commercially grown baskets may be the issue. I have a large collection of wreaths I rotate and this year not one, but 3 different breeds of birds have tried to make the wreath their home. I put the wreath up and then take it down for a day or so and then put it back up! I’m not sure what kind of hanging baskets I will put up this year after the last couple of years.
I could almost ditto all that you have said…I just donated a lot of my seasonal decor, and lots of stored items. Amazing how simple looks so much better. Been a collector for over 40 yrs and moved to smaller home..so it was time..Not as much dusting, life got simpler also, admitting it’s just an age thing ‼️
This is the first year I used faux pansies!! I had enough of worrying about the cold snaps on Ohio.