Permanent Petals

Floral expert Dia Collins shares tips for selecting and arranging silk flowers to keep them looking great all year long.

• The quality of silk flowers has improved over the years, and they no longer look cheap or artificial. When selecting flowers, look for sturdy, brightly colored blooms. Avoid washed-out shades with delicate-looking edges, which will deteriorate quickly. Look for silks with some imperfect edges, since real flowers are not perfect, either.

• Use a silk foam block for arrangements. It is made to use dry and it doesn’t flake like floral-foam block. You may want to use a glue gun to attach reindeer moss, pebbles and other decorative elements to the arrangements. You can also make your own floral pins, customized to whatever size you need, from floral wire.