Whether you are buying flowers for the home, to gift to someone, or for the purpose of decoration at an event, there is always the question of whether you should purchase artificial flowers and go with all the benefits that come with synthetic blooms, or you should go the natural way and buy freshly cut flowers. There are such strong arguments in favour of both choices, and some sensible ones against them too, that it can be confusing to make up your mind. Here’s a comparison of some pros and cons on both ends to help you make the right choice!
Lifespan
One of the biggest motivations for purchasing artificial flowers instead of natural flowers is that the former can last for years and years, while the latter will invariably wilt and die within a week, or at most, ten days. It’s always really sad to have to throw flowers away, especially if they were a gift from someone dear to you. When it comes to choosing on the basis of lifespan, artificial flowers will win over real flowers any day of the week. With a little bit of care in how you place them and some occasional cleaning every few months, you can keep your artificial flowers looking fresh and new for years.
Fragrance
Those who love the lingering fragrance of fresh flowers throughout the house, or just cannot resist taking a deep whiff when presented with a bouquet, cannot make do with artificial flowers. Sure, you have the option of scented silk flowers and many will argue that flowers are judged more on the visual aesthetic factor than anything else, but nothing beats the heavenly scent of fresh flowers spreading through the room. If this is an important consideration for you, choose fresh flowers.
Costs
There are pros and cons in terms of expenses involved in both choices. Fresh flowers can be really, really expensive if you are buying them inbulk or for an occasion such as a wedding, but then again, finely crafted silk flowers don’t come cheap either, especially if they are made of pure silk. However, if you evaluate costs in terms of longevity and lifespan, artificial flowers make more sense because they last so much longer, and you know that you get your money’s worth. While fresh flowers justify the expense in case of a special event or a one-time purchase, artificial flowers make more sense if you simply like to have flowers around you all the time. You won’t have to repurchase as often, and it simply works out cheaper in the long run.
Sentiment
The trickiest consideration of them all: sentiment! For many people, simply knowing that the flowers lighting up their room aren’t real can take away from their joy. It may sound silly to some, but many people find a lot of pleasure in a freshly picked bouquet and just can’t get the same joy from synthetic blooms. Or, in case of special occasions, people often feel that going the fake route is, well, fake. So, if you are planning a bridal bouquet, you probably want to indulge yourself with some fresh blooms just this once.
On the other end of the spectrum, many people are sentimental about cutting flowers for personal, selfish gain. They believe that flowers are best left in nature- where they belong, and to grow, cultivate and cut them for one’s own pleasure is a self-centred approach, especially since they’d last so much longer in nature. If you feel the same way, you can do your bit for nature and enjoy pretty flowers in your home by purchasing artificial flowers.
