Artificial or real hanging baskets?

Artificial flowers have been making a big come back in recent times. Developments in manufacturing and technology processes are producing incredibly realistic hanging baskets that look superb all year round. These hanging baskets are not just a great way to brighten up the front of a home – they’re also being used more and more by businesses to deliver colour and style at the front of shops and offices across the UK. But what are the pros and cons of artificial hanging baskets versus real flower hanging baskets? Here’s our quick guide:

The benefits of artificial hanging baskets

Above: One of our most popular artificial hanging baskets – an incredibly realistic design priced at just £29.95. Click here for more details.

• No watering, no feeding: If you don’t have green fingers but still want something that’s going to look good, artificial makes perfect sense. Not all of us are budding Monty Don’s and some of us simply don’t have the time, or the inclination, to care of plants. All you need to do with artificial hanging baskets is put them up and enjoy.
• You don’t need to keep replanting/pruning: One of the problems with real hanging baskets is you have to make the effort to put in new flowers or crop the ones that have died off or wilted. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s easy to get it wrong. With artificial hanging baskets you simply don’t have that problem.
• Colour all year, whatever the weather: Once winter hits, those real plants are going to die off. Then it’s difficult to find ones that are designed to grow during the lower temperatures. With artificial hanging baskets you get that brilliant splash of colour in front of your property all year round.
• No pests, No disease: All living plants are susceptible to various pests from greenfly to other aphids, mould and insects. Once they get into your hanging basket, it can cause havoc and damage the display. There’s no such problem with artificial hanging baskets.

Not only is an artificial display easy to maintain, there’s also the curb appeal that you create for your home or business with the latest, realistic designs. They look magnificent and will give you an immediate psychological lift whenever you see them. Essentially, you’re getting a really pretty, permanent display with little or no effort on your part – the perfect way to magically transform the front of your home.

The downside of artificial hanging baskets

Above: This lovely artificial flower arrangement will definitely fool the neighbours. Click here for more details.

Of course, the display doesn’t change year on year in the same way that real flowers do. Of course, if you want to change the look of your baskets that’s quite easy to do. You can even have separate displays for different times of the year.

Artificial hanging baskets can, at least initially, be slightly more expensive than planting real flowers. But if you take into account the length of time they last and the enjoyment they bring, the little extra on the purchase price really isn’t that much at all.

Finally, you really do need to choose good quality when you go for artificial flowers. You’ll easily notice that some low quality flowers are not real and others can fade in the sun after only a few months. The key here is to buy the best quality display you can and always invest in artificial flowers that are UV resistant.

If you’re looking to invest in quality hanging baskets that last all year round, artificial flowers are a great option. The quality and colour can be absolutely stunning and, with today’s design and manufacturing techniques, your neighbours won’t be able to tell them from the real ones.