Fake flowers – Sincere or Tacky?

When it comes to giving flowers, the first consideration that many people make is whether or not the flowers and its arrangements can convey the correct emotions. That’s why when someone buys a bouquet or basket of flowers, they’ll be very careful with the flowers they choose. 

Somehow, faux flowers have gained a rather unpleasant reputation in the process. Although they’re not usually given on special occasions, fake flowers still have a place in the florist industry. 

What are Fake Flowers?

Fake flowers, which are also known as faux flowers, artificial plants, silk flowers and more, are flowers and plants made of artificial materials. As opposed to natural flowers, these flowers last forever and do not degrade over time. 

False flowers have existed for centuries. In the past, they could be found in civilizations like China and ancient Greece. Apart from being just house decorations, fake flowers were used as additional designs on clothing, as well as hair ornaments. 

Antique fake flowers were made of materials like glass, feathers, shells, stained horns, linen and rice paper. These days, they can be made of plastic, silk, polyester, nylon and more. 

Why Choose Fake Flowers?

Despite being often looked down upon, false flowers have many advantages and benefits. 

1. They’re Low Maintenance

If you’re decorating your space with fake flowers, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up around it. There won’t be shrivelled leaves, branches shedding, little insects or anything else to clean up after. 

Plus, you don’t have to water them on a daily basis, or replace them when they’re shrivelled up. All you have to do is make sure you clean them with a damp towel once a month to remove any buildup of dust. 

2. They Last Forever

Fresh flowers are wonderful but they only last up to one or two weeks maximum. With artificial flowers, you can have these flowers around forever. As long as you choose natural looking flower colors, fake flowers will never go out of fashion. 

They’re there for you in emergencies too, if you need any additional decorations for an event, party or gathering, you can bring them out anytime for your guests. You don’t have to spend time preparing them either, as you can use them whenever you want.

Here’s one example of an everlasting bouquet called Renee from Farm Florist, featuring 9 preserved roses, as well caspia and ruskus. The preserved flowers are a perfect representation of everlasting love.

Source: Farm Florist

3. They’re Allergen Free

Those who have flower allergies, whether it’s to flower pollens, bulbs, petals and so on, know the inconvenience of being near natural flowers. For people like these, exposure to flowers can cause hours of discomfort that’s a pain to recover from. 

That’s why faux flowers are such a blessing. These artificial floral arrangements don’t cause hay fever and are suitable during any season, rain or shine. 

4. They’re More Affordable

Fake flowers  will be easier on your budget, especially in the long term. Most artificial flowers and plants are not made of expensive raw materials. Fabric, paper and plastic form most of the fake flowers on the market today. 

As such, you’ll only need to buy them once and they can last for a very long time. As long as they’re cleaned and dried on a regular basis, they can last for years and years. 

5. No Need To Wait For Flowers To Be in Season

Some types of flowers have to be imported into Singapore, and can’t be grown all year round. Instead, they’re only available in spring and summer from temperate countries. 

With artificial flowers, you can get them anytime, anywhere. If you’re a florist selling these faux flowers, you can find many wholesale florists in Singapore that carry rare blooms like, Dahlias and Poinsettias the whole year round.

Your bouquet and decoration projects will be incredibly easier with the presence of these fake flowers, and you’ll have a much wider selection too.

6. They Can be Repurposed Easily

These days, we’re living in a world where zero waste is a healthy and encouraged practice. Therefore, whenever you want to redecorate your home, artificial flowers can be recycled in a variety of ways. 

They can be turned into wreaths for your door, used in soap making, used to decorate lamps, bed frames and much more. 

How to Choose The Best Artificial Flowers

The secret to making sure that your artificial flower arrangement or bouquet isn’t tacky but tasteful lies in how you choose your flowers. The main aim throughout all this is to make sure that the flowers look as authentic as possible. Here are some tips that can help you:

1. Choose Realistic Colors

Stick with fake flowers that are similar to real flowers in color. In the real world, there’s no such thing as bright neon blue roses, or black coloured calla lilies. If you’re questioning yourself, it’s always best to stick to earthy colors, like cream, light peach, off-white, pale yellow and so on. Pick flowers with colors that exist in nature, and not a paint catalogue.

It also helps if you avoid bicoloured flowers, meaning two colors on one flower, especially if they don’t exist in real life. Yes, there may be Carnations in real life that are white with pink edges, but red and dark blue on the same carnation just won’t cut it. 

Another option you have when you want flowers that last are preserved flowers, which are real flowers preserved in silica gel, like this flower dome on Farm Florist. They offer cheap flower delivery throughout Singapore, and even express deliveries within an hour of your order.

Source: Farm florist. 

2. Avoid Strange Details

Try to avoid faux flowers with strange details, like plastic water droplets or glitter. These tend to take away from the authenticity of the artificial plant and make it look cheap.

3. Quality Over Everything

Not all artificial flowers and plants are made alike. There are many that are made with cheap materials like shiny plastic and fraying fabric. However, you want to choose fake flowers that look identical to the real thing. 

4. Not Too Many Themes and Flowers

When it comes to a tasteful artificial flower arrangement, less is more. Don’t overdo your arrangement with too many directions when it comes to a flower and color theme. Choose just one or two shades of the same color and go with it. You can also add filler leaves and smaller artificial flowers to enhance the arrangement. 

Minimalism is often the key to a good fake flower arrangement, like this Vera flower dome from Farm Florist, which features a single preserved  light purple rose surrounded by preserved Hydrangeas.

Source: Farm Florist

If you want to DIY your own artificial or fresh flower bouquet, you can always look for your own Singapore flower arrangement classes to improve your own skills and make the best flower creations.