How to make an artificial patio planter

Came to learn how to make your own DIY faux flower tub? We've put together an easy-to-follow video guide to show you how including tips, inspiration and more.

Pink faux hydrangea flowers in plant pot

We’re here to help you create your dream patio flower planter with a little help from our faux plant pals. Watch our video guide below, where Rachel will walk you through how to make an artificial flower tub or read on for full step-by-step instructions.

How to make an artificial patio planter

What you’ll need:

An empty planter
A plastic bag
Stones or sand
A trowel
A knife
Oasis foam
Artificial flowers & foliage

Weigh down your planter

You can use any size pot to make an outdoor patio planter as long as it’s designed to be used outside, otherwise, you might see the colour fade in the sun. In the video above, we used our 29.5cm (D) x 27cm (H) b.for original plant pot and we’ve got a selection of pots suitable for outdoors that you can use.

We don’t want your patio tub to be rolling around in the wind, so start by filling an empty bag with some sand or stones and add it to the bottom of your planter to hold it steady.

Fill your pot with oasis

Before you can add in your flowers and bushes, you'll need something to hold them firmly in place. We recommend oasis or floral foam for this as it doesn’t retain water.

Depending on the size of your pot, you’ll probably want 2-3 blocks of oasis which you can press firmly into your pot, so that they’re tightly packed and not moving about inside. You can cut the blocks down to size with a Stanley knife if you need to.

When you’ve filled your pot with oasis, add a light layer of stones or gravel on top to hide it away and add a little extra weight.

Add flowers and foliage

The beauty of making your own artificial patio tub is that it can be whatever you want it to be! We've got a selection of flowers and shrubs from lavender, geraniums and more. Just push the plastic spike on each bush straight into the oasis.

In the video above, we used six of our pink hydrangea bushes to fill our 29.5cm wide pot, but you can check the measurements of each bush on its product page to work out how many you’ll need.

Artificial pansy bush arrangement close up

Browse faux flower bushes

Create your perfect patio planter with our range of easy-to-use flowering bushes and shrubs.

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Final adjustments

At this point you should have a beautiful long-lasting patio planter ready to go into position. Just give your flowers a little extra attention by adjusting the foliage so that they aren’t clumped together, then go ahead and move your patio planter to its new home! 🥳

If you have any questions about creating a faux flower tub, get in touch and we'll be more than happy to lend a hand.

Summer patio tub ideas

Beautiful bold flowers rule summer and should be bursting from your patio planter for a colourful outdoor space. Mix and match different colours for a wild look, or keep it uniform with consistent shades that tie in with your colour scheme. We recommend our geranium bush, lavender bush, hydrangea bush and vanilla grass this time of year.

Pink artificial hydrangea bushes in garden

Artificial erica & geranium patio planter red / yellow

Winter patio tub ideas

Come winter, colourful blooms will start to look a little out of place and although our fauxs are good, flourishing hydrangeas in January may look a tad suspicious.

Instead of vibrant flowers, opt for pansies along with lots of greenery and trailing foliage to add colour to your garden without giving away our little secret! Go for our ivy bush, fern hanging bush, small fern plant, pansy bush or mini cedar pine for a long-lasting winter patio planter.

Frequently asked questions

Check out the answers to our most common queries below.

How long will my outdoor flower arrangement last?

Putting a lifespan on any outdoor artificial plant is really tricky and these outdoor arrangements are probably the hardest because the foliage is delicate and less able to withstand the elements.

In our experience, the answer is between one and three years. If your arrangement doesn’t last at least a year, get in touch.

Determining the lifespan comes down to a whole host of factors such as location, amount of sun it’s exposed to, humidity, and more. There’s lots more information about UV protection on our dedicated blog here.

Can I use it outside all year round?

You certainly can, except for in extreme weather where you’d be best to move your arrangement indoors or to a more sheltered spot.

Aside from that, the oasis foam won’t retain any water and our range of flowers and foliage are designed to be used outdoors all year round.

Can I use soil instead of oasis?

You can use soil to hold your flowers and foliage in place, but it won't do as good a job to keep your plants secure as oasis will.

Can I split my flowering bushes into smaller sections?

You can cut your flowering bushes and foliage into smaller bushes using a pair of strong scissors if you wish to. Just be aware that each bush only has one plastic spike so you might find it a little harder to push it into your oasis without the spike. Unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to accept any returns on bushes that have been cut with scissors.

Should I add drainage holes?

It's not the end of the world if your planter doesn't have any drainage holes, but if you can, it's best to drill a couple of holes in the bottom to allow any built-up rainwater to drain away. Even better, try to source a planter with pre-drilled drainage holes.

Be careful if you're drilling into ceramic or terracotta pots, as there's a higher chance of them cracking!

Can I use my patio planter indoors?

Sure, our flowering bushes aren't limited to outdoor use so you can bring your patio tub indoors where it's likely to last longer without battling sunlight, wind and rain.

Can I swap the flowers out?

You can swap out the bushes in your patio tub by simply pulling the spikes out of your oasis and swapping them for more seasonally appropriate flowers and foliage.

Three colourful artificial patio tubs on garden bench

Take the easy route

If this looks like too much faff, we’ve got a variety of easy, instant patio planters ready and waiting for a spot in your garden. Choose from zero-maintenance hydrangeas, foliage planters, geraniums and more.

Shop now.