Shaping Artificial Plants and Trees

How to Shape Artificial Plants and Trees

Many would be first exposed to artificial plants through our Christmas trees, and if you've ever shaped an artificial Christmas tree, you'll know how to approach your year-round artificial decorative plants. Here's a quick rundown of what you may expect.

Planting and Sculpting Artificial Trees and Plants

Shaping artificial trees and plants is simple if you know what you're doing and will ensure they look their best. Don't confuse 'easy' with 'fast,' though; in some circumstances, more time is required to achieve the greatest results.

Remove the plant from its packaging.

The majority of plants will arrive in an oblong box, which is convenient for transport but not plant-shaped. All of the branches and leaves are smoothed out and lay flat, similar to how your Christmas tree is packed away, to reduce space for packing and to protect the plant during transit.

Remove any packaging material once you've gotten into the box — and if you're cutting through tape with a knife or scissors, be careful not to damage the plant within. Now take hold of the heaviest object, the pot. If the plant is tall, you'll most likely need to grab the trunk or stem around midway up to help support it. Remove it from the box and set it down on a level surface. This will either be or not depending on how tall your plant is It can be placed on a table or on the floor, and the heavy pot will provide stability.

Remove any protective coverings, such as plastic, from the plant now. If you purchased a six-foot tree, for example, it was unlikely to arrive in a six-foot box, therefore the top section was folded over. If this is the case, straighten the tree out so it stands tall. If any of the branches have become twisted, make sure to straighten them out as well.

Begin at the beginning.

Your plant may not appear exactly like the one you ordered at this point, but don't worry; it will soon.

Always begin at the bottom and work your way up, regardless of the type of plant.

Start pulling the outlying stems away from the main 'trunk' of a leafy plant, such as a zebra plant. The leaves of your plant will be flat at this point. Natural leaves are usually curled rather than flat. Hold the tip of a huge leaf in one hand and run the index finger of the other hand from tip to stem, curving and shaping the leaf as you go. Large leaves have wire in them, so they will keep their shape.

Keep in mind that the leaves near the bottom of a plant frequently have a more pronounced curve than those at the top, so shape them accordingly.

Pull branches away from the stem and separate individual twigs and sprigs from each branch for a tree. Because the branches of ficus trees, for example, are somewhat bent, bend them accordingly. When you're satisfied with that, arrange the leaves so that they are evenly spaced. When rearranging branches, make sure your main trunk stays upright; otherwise, it will appear unequal.

You can be forceful but not too rough while shaping your plant. It's preferable to manipulate a leaf or a branch two or three times and gradually achieve the desired form than to try to do it all at once and risk damaging it.

If your plant's silk leaves or flowers are crumpled, run a cold hairdryer over them to make the wrinkles disappear. Don't apply full heat to the same area at the same time - this can cause harm –- Use a modest heat setting and move the heat around.

Examine everything from every perspective.

After you've completed shaping your plant, rotate it or move it around to make sure it looks full and well-shaped from all sides. If anything has to be tweaked, now is the time to do it.

The ideal pot

The container in which a plant is placed is an important aspect of its presentation. Plants are usually provided in a small, plain pot, but there are many options for elaborate artistic pots, including ceramic, wood, terracotta, basketwork and fibreglass.

It's critical that the pot and the plant complement each other. If you have a large terracotta pot, you'll need a plant that fits in it. In the same way, a huge plant in a too-small pot would appear ridiculous.

Here's what to do if you have a large plant that loses a third of its height when you stand it in its nice, deep decorative pot. Place some foam in the bottom of the pot, either florists' or polystyrene foam. Check that it's level and stable before putting your plant in. The top of the smaller pot is now much closer to the top of the larger pot. You can see all of your plants in the attractive pot. To keep the tree in place, cut several smaller pieces of foam and tuck them in around the smaller container.

Dressings and toppings

You can think about how to dress the 'compost' once your plant is shaped and in the correct pot. If you've chosen a nice pot that's just big enough, some decorative fake moss around the base can be all you need.

If you want to go a step further, there are a number of possibilities to choose from, and your selection may be used to match the plant, the pot, the rest of your décor, or all three.

If you've chosen a larger urn for a tree, for example, you might wish to fill it with bark chippings to make it appear as if the tree has been planted in that pot. In addition, you could choose a pot with vividly coloured decorations and decorative pebbles in beautiful white, rich gold, or any of the other jewel colours offered.

You may use pebbles instead of gravel if the pot and plant are large enough, or you could use gravel as the basis and add a few decorative stones as a contrast. Keep them natural, or let the kids decorate them for a unique touch. Glass pebbles, either in a single colour or a rainbow mix, are another possibility.

You could also add a layer of fake moss, which brings us back to the beginning of this section.

You might be thinking at this point that a large pot filled with gravel or stones will be heavy, and that the amount of material required to fill it will be absurd. And you'd be right.

This is when any leftover packing materials from your plant or other packages you've received will come in helpful. Fill the leftover area with packing paper, newspaper, or even bubble wrap once the plant is in the pot – and you may use polystyrene or more packing material to ensure it doesn't move about. You won't add any more weight this method, and you'll only need a thin layer of finishing materials to produce the desired appearance.

The ideal location

Because many of the plant's pieces - branches, stalks, and leaves – are made of wire, you may shape and style them whatever you want. If you have a large area, you can fill it by moving the branches away from the trunk. You can keep the branches closer together if you have a smaller space.

Artificial trees and plants have the advantage of not having to worry about them being in a position that is too light for them or too shady for them to wither away. You can pretty much put your plant wherever you want it. A small rose can liven up a boring area, while a sequence of plants on shelves or wall-mounted baskets can bring interest to a plain wall. A fruit tree and a floral tree in the conservatory In the kitchen, a leafy areca palm would look beautiful, as would a leafy areca palm in the dining area. By the front door or on the patio, some fancy topiary or a bay laurel would be ideal. One thing to keep in mind: even though these plants are UV-protected, their colour may be damaged if they are exposed to direct sunshine for long periods of time — whether indoors or outside. Aside from that, you can put them wherever you want.

Lights and illumination

If you light your small rose in its drab corner, it can become even more appealing. If it's under a shelf, think stick-on overhead LEDs, micro spotlights, or a table lamp nearby that catches the plant in its circle of light.

Spotlights on tall plants and trees, or a nearby conventional lamp or tall uplighter, could help duplicate the design. You can also use fairy lights, depending on the plant. They're not just ornaments for the Christmas tree! They can improve the appearance of almost anything, including topiary, beautiful trees, floral plants, and hanging baskets. Lights that run on batteries give you more options. Conclusion

Artificial trees and plants are available in a wide range of shapes, styles, and colours, and can complement any home or garden. They look great all year, no matter what the weather is like or how much time you have on your hands, and they easily dress up a room, patio, or other outside location.

The trick, like with so many things, is to take a little time and effort to ensure that they are presented effectively. Take the same amount of time to mould your new faux botanicals as you would to set a table, drape the drapes, or hang photos on the wall. The beauty of them is that once you've done that, they'll look wonderful for the rest of your life. If you're thinking about buying artificial plants – or waiting for them to arrive - you might want to save this page to come back to for some advice and inspiration. Even if you're reading this in the middle of summer, you might want to save it for Christmas tree advice or as a reminder to get a magnificent silk poinsettia that won't drop its leaves on Christmas morning!