If you are anything like my friend, Heather, then you will know all too well the trauma of yet another plant dying in your home. My lovely friend, bless her, she loves plants, flowers, and all types of greenery but claims that no matter what she tries or doesn’t do (for fear of ruining them) they don’t seem to last.
I am no foliage expert by any means but I do like to think that cactus might be quite a hardy plant to withstand extreme conditions and so suggested this to her. Unfortunately, this too gave up the ghost by the end of the year. I was as shocked as she was, so we began to brainstorm a new solution.
Her home always looks great when she initially purchases the shrubs, and ferns or large pots with exotically named leaves, and it certainly suits her aesthetic, but this soon dwindles and we are back at square one.
A New Idea
I’ll be honest I had never given the thought to try or use artificial plants, you see them in lobby’s or office reception areas and they just look plastic, full of unnatural coloring, and far from any realism they were hoping to achieve. In my friend’s case, we had no choice, so we began our researching journey.
Thankfully, the world has advanced in so many positive ways with technology and medically, but design has taken on a new lease too, from fashion to furniture, and even more so with décor, and this is where we found the answer we had been hunting for. And not a moment too soon.
Real Versus Fake
We were browsing images of artificial plants all with links to websites that claimed to be the best in the business yet the vision I had just didn’t seem to grab me when I went on their webpage, until the final one, which was just as well as I was stopping to make a much-deserved cup of tea.
I showed Heather some of the plant images without making any comments and she loved them, what surprised her more was that she couldn’t distinguish that they were not real and I knew we had landed on a winner. If she could create the same magazine ‘look’ in her home with artificial foliage that could last more than a few months then it was a sure winner of choice.
Life is busy enough as it is, needing to set reminders to keep an eye on your plants to keep them alive does not seem a priority for most, and shouldn’t become a burden. With artificial plants, you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
If you are in a similar situation take a look at the variety of artificial plants available on the market, they might surprise you by their authenticity and could just be the answer to your home décor headache.
Why Opt For Non-Real?
You may have been a skeptic like my friend and I before we found what we were looking for, and have raved about it to all our friends and family members to jump on board. With so many perks what’s not to love about non-living plants? Let’s take a look at some of the more popular reasons why people prefer them over real ones.
5 Benefits Of Fake Plants
- Most probably the main feature that appeals to people, no need to repot or prune, no hassle with bugs or insects, and you don’t have to remember to water them.
- You can put the plants anywhere in the house, whether in a small nook or tucked away between library chairs, the need for sunlight is eliminated and you have the freedom and flexibility to be as creative as you like with positioning.
- We all want a full-grown and lush looking tree or potted plant, but the time it takes for it to grow could be years or it costs you an arm and a leg. Now you have the luxury to shop and browse for fully grown and ready to go trees and you have instant gratification.
- There are new versions of plants coming out each year, everyone more realistic and higher grade than the next, this way you can be sure you are getting your money’s worth with a decent product.
- This is a great option for people who suffer from allergies and sensitivity to pollen, there is no stress in the home or with children when the pollen factor is taken out of the picture.
There are opinions on both sides of the conversation and that’s fair, each to their own as my granny liked to say. Why not take a minute to read some of them here and this way you have all the facts relevant to your final decision.
How To Choose?
This would be the last choice you need to make after confirming the plants in your home will be faux foliage, but there a few key factors to ensure when shopping and purchasing these plants.
The plastic versions on the shelves these days have incredible features, often molded from a real tree or leaf and filled with rubber or foam for a great realistic touch. They tend to have a better sheen on them too as they catch the light that anyone would have a hard time to figure out they weren’t real.
You also want to have plants where signs of visible roots can be seen or there is a top layer of faux dirt around the stem giving it that little bit extra veins, and making people think twice about its liveliness. The more your friends and house guests have to stare at them and eventually feel them, you will know you have made a good choice It shows it looks as close to the real deal and money well spent.
Once you have your bundle of faux greens, you can see some tips if you click here on how to arrange them so you have the aesthetic you envisioned. As the old saying goes, you can’t put a price on style.
