Silk Flowers

Looking stunningly like any real flower but one that stays beautiful and fresh for a long, long, looong time, silk flowers make the perfect gift, accessory, wedding bouquet – you name it! They are made of silk, hence, the name. But more than that, silk flowers make an excellent, economic and aesthetic alternative to the real thing.

Why Silk Flowers?

Because silk flowers don't wither or decay, they are perfect for areas like glass tabletops, entryways and bedrooms, which can all be easily soiled by real flowers. Moreover, silk flowers don't need water, so you can place them anywhere – even in areas that could be easily damaged by spilled water, like your computer desk.

Silk flowers can do what real flowers can, and in some cases, can do even more. Just as real flowers do, silk flowers can brighten the office. But unlike real flowers, they stay as fresh when you are away on a business trip or vacation as when you are hard at work.

How They're Made

Quality silk flowers are made with meticulous attention to detail. The result is an exquisite replica of the real thing, making it difficult even for flower experts to tell it from a real flower just by looking.

Some makers of silk flowers study the anatomy of a real flower from pistons to petals, carpals to stems in order to make them as close to the real thing as possible. And in this regard, most are successful.

Some well-made silk flowers are so indistinguishable from the real thing that you will be tempted to smell them. And for those who believe that they really are the real thing, this is the only that that gives silk flowers away. Sometimes, perfumes are added to simulate the scent of a real flower.

Lesser quality silk flowers, however, can be distinguished by the seams, which you can see upon closer inspection. But if you're silk flowers are well-made, no one would know that "fresh" flower on your hat is in fact artificial.

Caring for Them

Silk flowers do not wilt nor wither, unlike real flowers which tend to look droopy at the end of the day or after a few days. Because of this, we often forget that silk flowers need to be cared for, too.

Dust and dirt will stick to the silk, darkening the material and making the whole arrangement look bad. To keep this from happening, give your silk flowers a weekly dusting with canned air. This will help keep the flowers looking new and fresh.

Also, you might want to rotate arrangements every season or so. For instance, you may display bouquets of bright daisies in the summer, orange sprays in autumn, and red poinsettia in winter. If you do, be sure to store off-season flowers in a plastic bag slipped into a protective box. This will help preserve their color and keep the flowers from getting crushed.