A much-loved addition to any Aussie home, a deck can be the ultimate extension of your living space – a place to relax, entertain and enjoy the great outdoors. Whether your deck is small and cosy or large and sprawling, setting it up to be as inviting and relaxing as possible is essential.
One of the easiest ways to transform your deck into a delightful haven for enjoyment in all seasons is to decorate it with plants. With the right plants, you can create a lush private retreat that can be enjoyed all year round.
But with so many options available, how do you choose the best plants for your outdoor space and what are your options if you are far from a green thumb?
In this guide, we’ll explore five winning plant ideas for your deck that will enhance its appeal and atmosphere, regardless of its size or location. Focusing on high-quality artificial plants that require minimal care, these plant ideas will help you create an outdoor oasis that suits your style and needs.
Using Faux Plants On Your Deck - The Need to Know
Before we dive in, if you’re keen to utilise artificial plants on your deck or balcony there's just a couple of things to keep in mind.
Primarily, if your deck is exposed to a lot of hot, direct sunlight, it's essential to opt for plants that are designed to withstand this. This means looking for those that are specifically for these settings, which are UV protected and won’t fade or degrade in direct sunlight.
Conversely, if your outdoor space is more sheltered or quite shaded, UV protection may not be as imperative, meaning you’ll have a little more choice in which plants to choose. We’ve included a mixture of both options so you can tailor these deck plant ideas to suit your space and preferences.
Transforming Your Deck From Drab To Delightful
1. Tabletop Floral Arrangements For Year-Round Colour & Texture
If you have an outdoor dining table, side tables or coffee table, including a flowering plant or floral arrangement in your decor can help to add a welcoming pop of colour.
Some of our most stunning floral options for outdoor tables include:
- Dancing Orchids: A beautiful blend of leafy greenery and blooms, these potted orchids come in a variety of colours. Compact but impactful, they're ideal as table centrepieces or as a statement plant on a corner table.
- Bottlebrush Stems: Arranged in a vase, these pink bottlebrush stems are perfectly suited to modern Australian decor and offer plenty of foliage alongside the blooms for added interest.
- Calla Lilies: Dramatic and visually stunning, calla lilies look great in a vase as single stems or mixed with tropical foliage for a lush addition to any tabletop.
One of our favourite deck plants ideas, try changing your arrangements out to suit the seasons for added interest and enjoyment.
2. Climbing Vines For Adding Vertical Interest
If you have limited deck space, want to add privacy or simply desire a more lush green space, using vines is an excellent choice. These plants can be woven into trellises, around railings, or overhead beams to create a natural wall of greenery that adds privacy and shade.
You may like to consider:
- Pothos, a lush vine with leaves of deep green or marbled in yellow or white, is a perennial favourite for indoor plant lovers that also works very well outdoors.
- Ivy is another great choice here, particularly for those seeking a more classic look.
For a truly special space, we suggest weaving outdoor fairy lights in with your vines to add soft lighting and a lovely ambience.
3. Planters For Privacy With Style
If you’re after potted plant ideas for your deck that are focused on creating privacy, you can’t go past planters. Using a series of rectangular planters along the perimeter of a railing or a group of pots all lushly planted with greenery can quickly create a stylish privacy screen.
We suggest using the following plants for privacy planters:
- Bird of Paradise: With its large, banana-like leaves and these tall, lushly leafed plants deliver a bold, exotic flair to your deck.
- Buxus: For a compact hedging solution in planters, buxus is ideal and is perfect for anyone seeking an understated, sleek aesthetic.
For optimal privacy in planters, we advise using the same plants potted closely side by side. If grouping individual pots, a mixture of plants of different heights and textures can also be effective.
4. Sleek Ornamental Grasses For Texture & Movement
Gaining in popularity, ornamental grasses are a fantastic way to add texture, height, and movement to your deck. These plants sway in the breeze, creating a calming, natural vibe and come in a variety of colours to suit your decor.
Ideal in both planters or grouped together in pots, grasses are a wonderfully versatile outdoor deck plant idea that works in minimalist decor as easily as rustic or modern Australian styles.
Consider adding these ornamental grasses to your deck:
- Foxtail Reed Grass: This tall, upright grass is perfect for adding height and structure to your deck. Its lighter grass stems topped with pinkish-red feathery plumes are especially striking and can help to add a soft hint of colour to your deck.
- Reed Grass: A non-flowering variety of reed grass, this compact, deep green potted grass looks fantastic in both sleek modern pots or more colourful planters.
- Pampas Grass: Known for its dramatic, fluffy plumes, pampas grass is a showstopper that adds an effortlessly luxurious feel to any outdoor space.
To elevate this decking pot plant idea further, we recommend uplighting grasses to highlight their beauty and create a dramatic effect.
5. Hanging Baskets To Maximise Space & Outlook
If you have a small deck, want to save floor space or create a nicer outlook, hanging baskets are one of the best deck decorating ideas using plants that you can try. Using suspended planters to arrange trailing plants from above, these plants can then cascade down, creating a soft curtain of greenery.
Not keen to hang planters from above? Wall planters can be a great alternative that helps to achieve similarly lush results.
Great options for hanging baskets and wall planters include:
- Bougainvillaea: Known for its vibrant, trailing flowers, bougainvillaea is perfect for adding a burst of colour to your deck and suits tropical or mediterranean vibes with ease.
- Geranium: This trailing plant comes in many varieties including those with variegated leaves or with flowers for an inviting and beautiful space.
- Ferns: Featuring beautiful leaf shapes and textures, ferns are a great option for hanging baskets or wall planters. While not trailing, they can be easily underplanted with plants of this variety for added dimension and interest.
For optimal planting density or privacy, we recommend hanging plants at alternating heights and using a mixture of shrubs and trailing plants.
Create Your Dream Deck Area With Our Plant Ideas
Ensuring everyone can enjoy the tranquillity and calming benefits of plants no matter their climate or gardening skill level, our range of faux greenery is incredibly lifelike.
Needing next to no care, you’ll never need to worry about water stains on your decking, trimming of dead leaves or repotting. Capable of lasting for years and remaining looking great, you’ll also never need to replace a plant that failed to thrive either.
The perfect investment for your space, simply shop your preferred plants and choice of stunning pot or planter from our online store and you can create your dream deck in no time.
