Faux Winter Window Box DIY
Hello, hello! I’m so happy to be back on the blog today! I missed chatting with everyone, and feel like we have so much to catch up on. How was your Thanksgiving? We had a surprise visitor, my father-in-law, so we got to set an extra place at the table this year. We spent the day offline, spending quality time with family & friends, eating good food, playing games, and watching holiday movies. It was really nice. The rest of the weekend, Emmett & I were busy packing all of your Tuesday Made orders! Thank you again for shopping small and supporting our little store. I truly can’t tell you how much that means- I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. We’re working hard to get all of your orders out within the next few days (thanks for your patience!)– we’re certainly feeling the holiday hustle & bustle, which has been fun! Anyway- today I have another seasonal post to share with you. My plan was to fill up my window planters over the weekend and I went to three local nurseries, greenhouses, and even Lowe’s… only to find there are zero potted plants left. I’m guessing I’m a month too late. The only thing I stumbled upon was cut holiday greenery- garland, wreaths, and tons of Christmas trees. It seems I missed my window to plant live boxwoods, juniper, and pine- like I normally do this time of year. I always try to finish my winter window boxes in late October and I was just too busy this year. Since I couldn’t find live plants, I figured I’d resort to faux… that way the boxes aren’t empty all winter long until April. If you’re interested to see how I assembled my winter window planters this year, click through! I’m linking everything and am sharing the faux greenery I used, which is pretty convincing and maintenance free. They turned out really festive. I’m glad I found an alternative and was able to make it work this year!
FYI- I photographed the process images with my phone because it was easier while wearing gloves, so they’re not the best quality. I think you’ll still get the point though!
Once my summer florals died off at the end of October, I emptied the window boxes completely- soil and all. These have only had live plants nestled inside them, which typically cascades over the edge, so they probably could have used a good cleaning. However, given the cold temperatures, I figured I’d just go for it and deal with cleaning the boxes (and windows) in the spring. Filling the empty boxes was my main concern, because let’s be real- everything is going to be covered in snow soon, anyway.
As for the faux outdoor greenery I used, I wasn’t really sure what would look most convincing, take up a fair amount of space in my window boxes, and create the textural look I was going for. I ended up buying a random assortment with good reviews and everything ended up looking pretty nice in person. I think using a variety of faux plants is the key to making the boxes look more realistic.
I had four boxes to fill- the three window planters on the shed, as well as the one on our back patio, and it felt like I ordered the perfect amount. I’ll be sure to link everything for you below…
Shop my finds by clicking directly on each piece of greenery below- or use the numbered links at the bottom of the collage…
01: faux wreath (similar) // 02: ribbon // 03: faux potted juniper // 04: faux potted cedar // 05: faux pine pick // 06: faux pine branches // 07: faux branches // 08: faux boxwood bush
I set up a folding table in our yard, unboxed everything to see what I was working with, and got started. I always like to begin with the largest plants or sprays first…
Next, I added in some of the boxwood picks, because they’re on the larger side. The boxwoods were budget-friendly and weren’t quite as convincing as some of the other faux greenery, but it did make for an excellent base. It’s all about layering, and the textural boxwoods are perfect for the bottom or base layer. They really just act as filler. I’m probably more sensitive to their overall look & feel as well, because we have boxwoods planted directly beneath the window boxes… therefore it’s pretty obvious which is real and which is faux, since it’s essentially a side-by-side comparison. On their own, they’re great!
Then, I began adding some of the smaller and individual pieces of greenery. I just shoved it in haphazardly, but if you’re having trouble criss-crossing the branches to firmly secure them- you can always use florist foam or recycled packing materials to fill your planter boxes before adding greenery… that way the ends have something to stick into. Just keep layering until you get the look and fullness you’re aiming for!
Once everything was in, I began fluffing the branches & greenery. In nature, branches don’t grow perfectly straight, symmetrical, or uniform, so be sure to bend them in all directions for a more realistic look. I’d also recommend bending a few of the branches downward to break the grid and make the planter box look more full… so it tapers over the edge.
I also decided to pull some old faux wreaths out of storage to adorn the windows… because why not, it’s the holiday season! They make our shed look so charming. I kind of wish we would’ve thought to put holiday lights on the shed (since it’s looking cute for Christmas), but maybe next year. I pulled out my good camera for the after images and waited for golden hour. Ready to see how everything turned out?!
I’m really pleased, and I’m especially happy that the planter boxes are no longer empty. Are they the real thing? No, but they look really nice and the best part is they require zero maintenance. Emmett already asked if I could do this again next year to save us from planting, replanting, and watering. I’ll see how it holds up, but I think it’s a great solution.
If you missed our shed build, check out this post! I get a lot of requests for a link to buy the shed or pre-fab kit, but I’m proud that we built this ourselves to fit our needs and aesthetic. It’s a fun post, if you’d like to go back and see how the shed came to fruition last year!
I’d love to hear your thoughts. How are you getting ready for the winter & holiday season? Do you have all of your outdoor items, yard, and patio winterized by now- or are you late to the game this year (like me)? I think we’re finally ready for the snow to start falling over here. While my father-in-law was here visiting last week, he helped us tackle our outdoor winterization list, which was super helpful. Everything is put away, neatly stored, and I think we’re officially entering holiday mode in our household. Here’s to a wonderful week ahead! Let me know if you have any questions about the faux greenery.
