By Jude Njoku

THe place of flowers in the interior and exterior decoration of homes cannot be overemphasised. Flowers, whether natural or artificial, bring a distinctive touch of life and colour to the home.

While natural or real flowers are cut from the garden or purchased from a florist, artificial or fake flowers are usually purchased from craft stores or specialty vendors.

Interior decoration experts posit that before deciding on the type of flower to use in your home, you should consider their pros and cons.

The first thing to consider would be the maintenance of such flowers. Many people opt for artificial flowers because they are easy to maintain. “When they are presented as cut flowers, they do not require water changes, whereas the water for real flowers should be changed every other day.

When set in the garden, they do not require weeding or watering the way that real flowers do, though they still need to be cleaned to preserve their colours,” Lanh Ma, an eHow contributor said. The range of artificial flowers and colours that are available is endless. Colours and designs to suit every taste and purpose are readily from the truly realistic to this seasons fashionable flower accessory.

Fashion and technology are said to have aided the reputation of artificial flowers.  There is no flower specimen that cannot be replicated with all the details.

Another important factor to consider in the choice of flower for your home decoration has to do with the scent of the flower. Although artificial flowers can be scented with aerosol perfumes, they are not a match for real flowers which produce a natural smell that is unique to each type of flower. “Even real flowers that are only mildly scented have a signature scent that a silk flower cannot replicate. If the scent of your flowers is your top priority, you may then go for natural or real flowers.

In terms of cost, it should be noted according to Lahn Ma, that the more realistic the silk flower is, the more expensive would be. “A highly realistic silk flower is several times more expensive than the identical real flower, but it lasts a significantly longer period of time. Cheap silk flowers tend to fade quickly and they are also more easily spotted as false”.

Real flowers are generally available only when they are in season, with some exceptions being made for flowers grown in hothouses, which come with a higher price tag. Artificial flowers on the other hand, are available all year round with no restriction on seasons. The price of silk flowers also does not change due to the season.