Lucy Mary

As much as I adore buying and having fresh flowers in my home, depending on where I buy them from, the costs can add up. I'm not saying I buy large bouquets every week, but it's a job of keeping them looking fresh and, well, alive for as long as possible. But if I buy artificial flowers, it not only saves me money, but I don't have to worry about watering them or remembering to fill up the vase with water when it's empty. 

Sometimes, artificial flowers look, well, artificial. I can tell from a distance when I see those wispy bits of fabric straying from the petals. One brand I've discovered recently that describe themselves as selling 'realistic artificial flowers' and stylish home decor is Floralsilk. 

Floralsilk take a considered approach when it comes to sustainability. They carefully consider how collections are made, picked and delivered. According to Floralsilk, artificial flowers often have a less environmental impact than buying freshly cut flowers for your home. This is because most fresh flowers are grown using pesticides, then transported via air freight or refrigerated lorries. At Floralsilk, they ship all of their bulk lines by sea freight rather than cargo planes. 

The brand carefully considers how its products are packaged and is always monitoring and assessing its UK warehouses for packing and delivery. And if they need to, they will make switches wherever possible to greener alternatives. Floralsilk uses FSC-certified cardboard boxes. This means the cardboard used is sourced from responsibly managed forests. They reuse cardboard wherever possible and use solar energy to support warehouse operations.

If you order artificial flowers from the brand, they are wrapped in brown paper, which is obviously recyclable. This, in turn, reduces the amount of plastic used in their packaging. 

I have two of the Faux Peony Bush in Light Pink and the Fae Soft Terracotta Effect Textured Ceramic Vase. 

Peonies are the perfect flower to have displayed in your house during the Spring and Summer seasons. They're so fresh, vibrant, and so pretty. As I said, I have two of these peony stems. Each stem has nine blooms, and one feature I love about these stems is that they have unflowered blooms as well as blossomed ones. I like that the stems and blooms represent and replicate the natural flower cycle of any fresh bouquet you buy. 

Each flower and leaf on the stems is of amazing quality and looks so realistic. The stem holding the flowers and foliage doesn't look 100% realistic, but once I put them in the Terracotta Ceramic Vase, it's not noticeable at all. 

These particular stems also come in two other colours - white and dark pink. It is recommended that, for a more aesthetically pleasing look, you buy two stems rather than just one. This gives a more beautiful display in any vase you put them in. Speaking of vases...

Terracotta vases seem to have that holiday feel about them. Like when you're staying in a villa somewhere abroad, there's a terracotta vase on the patio somewhere. This Terracotta vase comes in two sizes - 20cm or 25cm tall. I have the taller version of the vase. The smaller version is perfect for those smaller bouquets or flower stems. I'm glad I have the taller version of this vase, as it's great for my peonies to live in. 

What I love about this ceramic vase is that it's not too fussy. It has that lovely rustic feel about it. It allows any bouquet of flowers to stand out proudly. To be honest, even if you didn't have flowers to put in there, it makes a lovely piece to put in any room of your house, especially your living room and/or dining room. 

I should say that this vase is not guaranteed to be 100% waterproof and watertight. So this vase is more suited to artificial flowers than fresh ones. 

The quality of this terracotta vase is incredible, and it has a lovely look and texture. It's very versatile, so it would suit most interiors in anyone's home. 

Floralsilk offers free delivery of orders over £75. For orders under £75, delivery costs £5.95 to all UK mainland addresses. Express delivery within the UK costs £7.95. Deliveries to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Man cost £9.95. If you're ordering from Northern Ireland, delivery will cost £15. The brand currently doesn't deliver outside of the UK.

In regards to returns, Floralsilk will offer a refund within 14 days of delivery. 

Both of my items came in cardboard boxes, and the flowers were wrapped in brown paper, making them easy to recycle. The ceramic vase was wrapped in protective wrapping to prevent any damage.

Pricing ranges from £3 to £125 (all depending on what you want to buy).

Floralsilk has convinced me to consider purchasing artificial flowers more often for my home. Less maintenance, less remembering to water them or top up the vase and still getting that great quality in terms of appearance. 

The brand sells a wide range of artificial plants and flowers, so I'm pretty sure you'd find your preferred flower on their website! The stems and the vase I have are of amazing quality, and I love displaying both in my bedroom. But, as I said, both items would look great in anyone's living room or dining room. For the price you would pay, it's definitely worth it!

I'd happily recommend Floralsilk to anyone who would prefer artificial flowers to fresh flowers in their home.