A front porch update with hanging DIY fake Boston Ferns. So beautiful you will swear they are real.
Are you lacking a green thumb but love the character greenery and plants bring to your home? Or maybe you have a front porch that is drench with sunshine that won't let your plants live their best life?
With these fake ferns you can have the best of both worlds. Plants you can't kill and don't have to water, and all the beauty that the greenery adds to the scene.
I’ve never really had a green thumb. But I also haven’t put a whole lot of effort into either. But I don’t know if this is an almost 40 thing, or my roots deepening here in the south, but I’m really interested in greenery these days.
Now that the porch looks like new, it's time to further step my curb appeal. I am ready to make it super cute, comfortable and cozy.
I was first introduced to Boston Ferns in the backyard deck of a friend's home in Cleveland. They were so simple, pure and timeless looking. I was in love!
I’ve seen ferns more and more since coming south and I decided my porch would be adorned with them. The end!
Why I Decided on Faux Ferns Versus Real Ones
Here’s the deal.
The problem is my home is west facing. This means the sun beams and darn near cooks me if I dare to sit there in the late afternoon or evening. So I feel a plant doesn’t stand a chance living there.
But Kenya gets what Kenya wants. And where there is a will there's a way.
I have the will to find the way when I want what I want.
So I share with you my DIY Boston faux ferns and hanging basket I made for under $20.
You read that right. I made these beautiful Boston Fern look-alikes for just over the price of real ones.
And hopefully, I’ll get at least a couple of years outta them.
Materials Needed For DIY Faux Ferns and Hanging Pot
- 4 – 7” fern stems
- 8 – 4” fern stems
- Foam block
- Plastic hanging pot
- Rope
- Glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Spray paint
The hanging pot with the cord came from the dollar store.
I had the glue gun, glue sticks, and rope on hand.
I purchased all other things from the adult creative playground, Hobby Lobby.
How To Make Your Own DIY Fern
Remove stickers from all materials. I like to do this part and get it out the way.
Remove the string from the pots and used a drop cloth in the back yard and spray painted the outside of the pots.
I let them dry for a couple of hours. Flipped them over. And spray painted the insides. Let that dry for the same amount of time.
While those were drying, I started arranging the fern stems for the fake fern plants into the foam squares. I did this by placing the longer stems dead center right next to each other. Then I placed each of the four shorter stems on each side of the longer ones.
From there, I went through and adjusted and blended the “leaves” to form the plants.
Once they both faux ferns were formed, I glued the foam squares in the center of each pot.
I took the rope I had on deck and cut it into six even pieces, three for each pot.
Then, I tied one end of each rope into the three loops on the pots.
I held the rope pieces up to even them out and tied the string that came from the pot around them. I left about a three-inch end on one side and the remaining length on the rest.
Using the short string, I went under and around the rope ends until there was only a small Piece. I then held it in place and created a loop with the longer string.
From there I begin wrapping the string around the combined rope, remaining string and bottom of the loop.
I wrapped it until it was covered all the way to the top of the rope tightly.
Once fully covered, I double tied the string to a piece of the bottom of the loop.
All done!
Beautiful DIY Faux Boston Ferns for under $20 that will last the entire season.
DIY Hanging Boston Ferns
A front porch update with DIY fake Boston Ferns. So beautiful you will swear they are real.
Materials
- 2 - 7” fern stems
- 4 - 4”fern stems
- Foam block
- Plastic hanging pot
- Rope
- Glue sticks
- Spray paint
Tools
- Glue gun
Instructions
- Remove stickers from all materials.
- Remove the string from the pots and spray paint the outside of the pots if you want them a different color.
- Let them dry for a couple hours. Flip them over. And spray paint the insides. Let that dry for the same amount of time.
- While those are drying, start arranging the fern gems into the foam squares. Do this by placing the 2 longer stems dead center right next to each other. Then place each of the four shorter stems on each side of the longer ones.
- Adjust and blend the “leaves” to form the plants.
- Once formed, glue the foam squares in the center of the pot.
- Take rope and cut it into three even pieces. Length depends on how long you want them.
- Tie one end of each rope into the three loops on the pots.
- Hold the rope pieces up to even them out and tie the string that came from the pot around them. Leave about three inches on one side and the remaining length on the rest.
- Using the short string, go under and around the rope ends until there is only a small piece. Then hold it in place and create a loop with the longer string.
- From there begin wrapping the string around the combined rope, remaining string and bottom of the loop.
- Wrap it until it is covered all the way to the top of the rope tightly.
- Once fully covered, double tie the string to a piece of the bottom of the loop.
- All done!
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6 comments
They look great – was the glue stick adequate to hold the foam block in place. Some glues dissolve foam blocks. Thanks.
Hey there and thank you Ava!
The gorilla glue sticks worked perfectly. I did not have any issues with them staying in place or dissolving.
Where i live it is windy would you recommend putting something in the bottom, rock, to keep it stable so as not to have it blow it all over the place. Thanks 3-15-20
Hey Sandy! It can get windy here as well. The did blow a bit at times, but you could absolutely put small pebbles or something in the bottom to make it now blow as easily.
How does this hold up against rain? I’d love to make this and leave it out all year round. Thanks!
So far so good. I just put them up in spring. Not sure if I will leave them out through the winter though.