Artificial Outdoor Plants

Nothing, when the product is genuinely outdoor rated. Fake outdoor plants and artificial outdoor plants are the same category, and the phrase people search for varies. The real division is between greenery with UVTex inhibitors bonded within the leaf and interior stock that has none, which is why every product in this collection states UV Resistant in its title.

The UV resistant products here are engineered to hold colour through repeated summers in direct sun, with a full northern aspect the most demanding position. Inhibitors bonded within the leaf cannot be washed off by rain or cleaning, unlike a surface coating. A 5-year UV warranty is provided on all certified outdoor panels.

Rain is not a problem for the foliage or stems, and hosing the plants down is the recommended way to clean them. Where water matters is the planter rather than the plant, so a pot sitting on a balcony should still drain rather than hold rainwater around the base.

Height and continuity do the screening. A run of greenery along the rail at a consistent height blocks sightlines better than individual pots, and 90cm hanging baskets lift greenery to eye level without using floor space. Where a solid face is wanted, the 3m x 1m boxwood roll with privacy backing covers a rail run in one piece.

Plants fill planters, soften edges and sit below about a metre, which suits ledges, rails and boxes. Outdoor artificial trees start where plants stop, running from 50cm up to 2.1 metres, and are used to hold a corner or frame an entrance. Most courtyards use both: trees for structure, plants for infill.

The product title states it. Anything listed as a small potted plant, such as the 20cm jasmine or 20cm flowering boxwood, arrives in its own pot ready to place. Others are supplied without one, like the 50cm agave, so they can be dropped into an existing planter or a specified pot.

Yes, and shade is where they often do the most useful work, since a spot that gets no light will not sustain a living plant. Ferns at 40cm and the 100cm Spanish moss read particularly well in a shaded side return or under a covered walkway, where the softer forms suit low light.

A rinse with a hose two or three times a year clears dust and pollen from the leaf. Where a film has built up, the Eco-Home Safe cleaner lifts it without stripping colour. Poolside plants benefit from a fresh water rinse more often, to keep chlorine and salt residue off the foliage.