Thoughts on outdoor faux plants
 

Has anyone had experience with outdoor artificial plants that don't UV out
right away?

The front of our house lends itself well to be covered with hanging plants,
akin to the shops and houses where my husband grew up:
http://www.davidandmollie.com/bainbr...ainbridges.jpg but the
temperature extremes here wreak havoc with live plants.

Our house faces west and gets full, unblocked hot sun all afternoon. Plants
that will survive this "baking" don't survive when cold weather hits so it
requires insane watering all of the warm months, then in the winter I have
to jockey them all inside (where I don't have room for them) to keep them
from dying. I don't have alot of time to spend watering them and running
them in and out, etc. etc. either--a full time job. Conversely, if I pick
plants that are cold tolerant, they fry in the sun. I can't see replacing
them every year (even if I could afford it) so I've been thinking about
artificials. I'd love to have live but the frustration has gotten the best
of me.

I have some poinsetties that I picked up at LNT at the holidays that look
great in the hanging baskets and thought maybe I could expand on that for
summer. I assume that cheap ones will fade an UV out quickly but I see some
things one line that are $50-$80 per plant and that's not within my budget
either. If anyone has experience with something that might be a more
affordable solution I'd love to hear it. I'm thinking maybe a combination
of artificial and live might do the trick. Perhaps I can touch up the faux
flowers with with spray paint after they fade too much?

If I can make the front (which will only really be seen from distance for
the most part) easy to manage, I can focus on the herb garden and such out
back.

Any input and brainstorming is appreciated!
--
ie
"ride fast, take chances."