I work with a lot of clients come springtime, filling their urns and making wreaths for their doors. The interesting thing is that it’s usually all fake flowers. I know, I know, I am supposed to call them artificial or synthetic, but either way these are not fresh flowers.

My clients have been telling me they love the way a tailored entrance looks, but they are too busy and find it too difficult to maintain containers at the front door. Clients who go to the cottage for days can not have plants that need attention. Some of these installations have been corporate clients who are looking for a no-maintenance professional look so they can focus their attention on other aspects of their business. This is understandable. Often in the heat of the summer, plants in containers need to be watered every day.

Dead-heading faded blooms is time consuming and once a planter gets burnt by the sun and heat it likely needs to be replaced. I have other clients who have the opposite problem. They want something decorative on their front porch but the sun never touches the planters so plants do not thrive there.

There are many options open to people from UVB protected artificial Geraniums to Boxwood topiary spheres. These are designs that will last through many summer seasons with very little care and maintenance.