The UK's horticulture market is blooming.
New figures from Statista found that in Q3 of 2024, UK households spent around £1.7bn on flowers, houseplants and other gardening equipment. While that has tailed off from a spike in 2021 amid the pandemic, it's still at significantly higher levels than before COVID-19. It adds up when you think about lockdown when, cut off from outside space, we decided en masse to bring nature indoors instead.
Freshly cut flowers are a decidedly grown-up expense. Whether you have fresh arrangements in beautiful vases dotted through your home or a couple of cheerful stems bunched into an old glass jar on the kitchen windowsill, fresh flowers signal that you are someone who has their act together.
As lovely as fresh fleurs are, all admirers know there will come a moment when they must be binned or composted and so, have to come to terms with the inescapable fact that having fresh flowers is an expensive way of decorating the home.
The solution? Go faux.
Artificial flowers made from silk have been worn since the imperial courts of ancient China when aristocratic ladies would incorporate them into complex hairstyles. Much like today’s designer handbags and fine jewellery, intricate and detailed silk flowers signified wealth, beauty and prestige.
Artificial flowers are now crafted from a variety of fabrics, and silk has become an interchangeable term for synthetic polyester, latex, velvet and plastic blend flowers. Buy them in bunches for a look of abundance or pick and mix choice stems for a unique look. You can mix them in with fresh-cut flowers to fill out displays for weddings and birthdays.
The biggest plus? They will never wilt or need watering; occasional dusting or wiping down the petals with a microfibre cloth is all you need to keep them looking fresh.
Leaps in fabric tech mean faux now looks just like the real thing - apart from offering any scent, of course.
If you’re looking for the look of fresh without the expense, we’ve rounded up the best silk flowers worth investing in for your home. Stick them in your favourite vase, and if you get bored of looking at the same petals, mix the stems around the house for a quick, easy and free update.
Shop the best silk flowers below
Abigail Ahern Artificial Melaleuca, Cream
Roses, peonies and hydrangeas have their place, but if you're after a wilder, meadow-fresh look, Abigail Ahern has some of the nicest and most believable faux stems around.
This single stem of artificial melaleuca adds muted colour and texture to a bouquet or vase with delicately painted fabric petals attached to plastic stems. You'd have to hold it to know it's not real.
Buy now £11.00, Abigail Ahern
Søstrene Grene Artificial flower poppy
If you're into pretty homewares and haven't heard of Søstrene Grene, we're only too glad to make the introductions.
The shop, started in the late 70s by Danish sisters Anna and Clara, offers select touches to finish your home, from kitchen storage and Easter tableware to realistic-looking flowers sold by the stem.
You can find everything from hydrangeas and morning glory to poppies on the brand's site, including this happy little look that holds four flowers in various states of bloom on the stem. Available in pink or yellow.
Buy now £3.08, Søstrene Grene
Cox & Cox Three Faux Hydrangea Stems - Green
With their full flower heads packed with petals, it doesn't take many hydrangeas to fill a space with texture and colour. Cox & Cox is selling these green polyester versions as a set of three, adding freshness to your space year-round.
Buy now £45.00, Cox & Cox
The White Company Spring Blossom Stems – Set of 3
This trio of spring blossom stems offers an easy way to breathe life into tired interiors. Each artificial stem is carefully designed to look just like the real thing with leaves and realistic petals.
Buy now £40.00, The White Company
Artificial Eucalyptus Stems x 6 bunches
Looking for a cost-effective filler to make your arrangement look lush? You can find bunches of faux eucalyptus at Amazon, perfect for the job. They look great on their own too - plonk them in a tall vase in a neutral shade to channel minimalist chic.
Buy now £16.49, Amazon
M&S Set of 2 Artificial Cherry Blossom Single Stems
Always on a mission to bring quality to its shoppers for less, M&S offers a selection of artificial flowers in its homewares department. Make it forever spring in your home with this cherry blossom which is sold as two stems to allow you to build the look you're after.
Buy now £12.50, M&S
OrgMemory 78Pcs Faux Flowers
If you're trying to keep costs down for a party, this bulk buy of faux flowers and stems is ideal for making into centrepieces. The variety here is huge with different textures, leaves and blossoms ready to be mixed and matched. Chic and cheerful.
Buy now £21.99, Amazon
Abigail Ahern Artificial Hydrangea, Lilac
Welcome magic in the form of fauxtanicals, courtesy of interiors expert Abigail Ahern. The homewares designer has these hyper-realistic lilac hydrangeas for sale by the stem, allowing you to build the look into an existing artificial arrangement or display multiple ones of the same en masse. You’ll need 10 to achieve the look we’ve showcased here.
Buy now £18.50, Abigail Ahern
Floralsilk Artificial Pink Peonies in Globe
We live for peony season, but the window to buy local and fresh is incredibly short - between April and June. You can enjoy them for the other 10 months of the year thanks to Floralsilk's classic arrangement of big blustery heads that come positioned in a vase complete with faux water. Simply unbox and enjoy.
Buy now £70.00, John Lewis
Dunelm Artificial Yellow Mimosa Stem
A mimosa at a weekend brunch is a beautiful thing. While the drink has little relation to the flower - apart from the sunny yellow colour - artificial stems will also serve to put a spring in your step. Find it at homewares store Dunelm at a pocket-friendly price.
Buy now £4.00, Dunelm
Verdict
With an incredible range of stunning faux flower stems, Abigail Ahern walks away as the artificial flower queen for this list. The variety includes replicas of unusual plants like this Melaleuca, making them appear all the more realistic. Art.
