Many people this day in age have become computer savvy and may spend long hours sitting on the computer networking and using their skills to bring in an income. Long hours of staring at a computer can become tedious, but working at a computer is not the only tedious job. When you are feeling that your mind needs a break and your eyes need a rest, gazing off and letting your eyes rest upon some beautiful greenery will not only reduce stress but help to clear the mind and refresh your ideas bringing your thoughts back into focus.

The benefit one reaps from gazing at greenery is amazing.

A 30 year study referred to as the Lifestyle Benefits of Green Spaces indicates that promoting landscaping projects increases self-esteem and decreases vandalism. Living among the beauty of plants can assist to:

• Reduce blood pressure
• Relax muscle tension
• Reduce harmful stress
• Even out stress hormones
• Elicit relaxation
• Reduce symptoms of ADD
• Boost energy
• Lift spirits

Why just landscape outdoors?

Decorating your home with artificial flowers and plants is clearly similar to landscaping your home outdoors. It is just improving your home on the inside rather than the outside while enhancing the health and emotional well-being of all those who live there by doing just that.

Artificial flowers give us so much and ask nothing in return.

This lovely cascading ivy will melt your stress. Try it yourself. Select a few plants or floral arrangements and scatter them throughout your home. You will love the way they beautify your home and probably will not stop to notice how much better you will begin to feel. Your stress levels will drop and you will be able to focus better and get your tasks accomplished easier. Artificial plants need very little maintenance so you will not have to sacrifice time to feed and water your plants or flowers. You can just sit back and drink in their beauty.

Can you think of one other singular thing you can do to improve your home and your health simultaneously? Strategically place plants throughout your home. It is such a simple thing to do but one simple thing can give you so many rewards.

Strategically place plants and or flowers throughout your home.

Place a beautiful plant just inside the doorway. Feel your tension began to evaporate at the doorway. Tension from the frantic drive home and the crazy pace of work melt. Place a few more in your kitchen; perhaps hang them from hooks in the kitchen letting the sunlight bounce off of them creating the stunning effect of live plants.

Artificial flowers and plants do not limit our creativity but release it.

Use vases, pots, shelves, wall sconces, baskets or whatever your imagination provides you with to house a plant or flower and enjoy the effect. Place them in hallways, on walls, tables, shelves and hanging from hooks. There is no place that will not look better with something green “growing” there. Start in the entryway and work your way through your home and soon you will be hooked. Change each room in your home one at a time from ordinary to extraordinary. It will be the easiest change you have ever made and it may be the most beneficial.

What are you waiting for?

Adding lovely artificial plants and floral arrangements to your home is easy. If you place one in your home and do not select the right vantage spot, pick it up and move it. Look for the perfect place to set your greenery. You want the flowers or plants to take the spotlight in your room and in your home.

Many times artificial flowers and plants are used outdoors to enhance the beauty of the landscape and most of the time no one is any wiser. Many businesses have large potted artificial plants just outside their front door and they look spectacular. These wonderful displays are low in maintenance but high in eye appeal.

Don’t worry about browning leaves and mixing fertilizer.

This 4 foot high Arboricola plant is stunning. You never need to worry about brown leaves or wilting and you may find that you will still get the occasional visit from a bird or a butterfly. After all they enjoy beauty too.

These plants do well in shade or sun.

This lovely display of varicolored Pampas artificial grasses stands over six feet tall.  It is housed in a black Abaca basket like floor planter.  Both the plant and the planter can sustain many types of weather and maintain their beauty.  One could easily insert some flowers or artificial foliage for color, maybe some pussy willows. Experimentation can really pay off here with a spectacular and very unique look.

Many places in your yard can benefit from some added beauty.

Don’t just put a flower or plant at the doorway when there are so many places that can benefit from the splendor of artificial flowers or plants.  Some other places where plants and flowers can be displayed are:

• On a shepherd’s hook
• In a window box
• In pots on the porch, terrace, or deck
• On a picnic table
• In the garden
• Along the walk way

These lovely cascading burgundy berries with sumac and foliage would look lovely in a window planter. Sumac is such a lovely plant but if you get too close you may be rewarded with a nasty rash so we usually leave it alone but with an artificial plant you do not have to fear a rash if you get too close to this arrangement and can get just as close as you would like.

“Plant” a garden.

Your friends and family will think you spent hours creating this garden. No one needs to know but you that the gorgeous antique copper tub came already filled with this delightful floral arrangement and all you had to do was pick the perfect place to spotlight it in. Gardening was never this easy!

Attractive displays improve curb appeal.

Artificial displays contain plants, vegetables, flowers, fruits, and or foliage. This lends to the versatility of placing them in bowls, urns, planters, pots (hanging or otherwise), baskets, and directly in the soil. One of the many benefits of artificial greenery, flowers and so forth is that they are low maintenance but so beautifully realistic looking. We know that living in attractive surroundings goes a long way in reducing stress and even lowering illnesses.

Offset stress with plants and flowers.

In these chaotic days where we fill our calendars with nonstop activities sometimes we feel so much pressure and so little enjoyment.  We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to take a moment to enjoy life and absent ourselves from the chaos. A good laugh, a supportive friend, and beautiful flowers are wonderful ways to ease some of this tension. Studies have proven these to be some of the most valuable techniques known to relieve stress.

Some other techniques that aid in stress relief are:

• Deep and calming breaths
• Meditation
• Helpful quotes or inspiring words
• Being imaginative
• Aromatherapy

A beautifully manicured yard also helps to improve curb appeal and increases the resale value of your home. A prospective buyer will see a well-cared for yard and immediately feel that the home is well-cared for also.

Anyone who has ever suffered from or even heard about SAD; Seasonal Affective Disorder knows that the winter months can cause deep depression. Many people are adversely affected by the absence of warmth and light in the long winter months. One of the recommended treatments for those who suffer from this disorder is to visit a greenhouse or flower shop. “The warmth, brightness, and beautiful flowers are natural mood lifters.” Reader’s Digest Great Health Hints and Handy Tips

A splash of yellow lifts spirits.

Further research indicates that adding splashes of yellow to your home will aid in lifting your spirits.  The sunny yellow will add warmth and cheer to any décor.

Bring the “flower shop” into your home and lift your spirits. With artificial flowers and plants it is easy on the budget, and the eyes. Artificial flowers are so versatile, colorful, and realistic looking and there are so many varieties. An artificial flower arrangement can be placed virtually anywhere without worry of the plant or flowers dying and whatever room they are placed in will magically come to life.  For a spectacular floral display place a series of vases in a row in matching vases of either style or color.

Try yellow in an arrangement and bring in the sunshine.

The sunny yellow of these flowers is almost as warming as a burst of sunlight on a gray dismal day. Beautiful flowers are sure to make the inhabitants of the home and visitors alike to feel the glow.  In a home where the walls are white and the furniture and carpet tan or brown, flowers add a wonderful depth of color and warmth to the room.

These are the easiest orchids you have ever “grown”.

Orchids are particularly delightful and exquisite in their beauty and the real orchid is very fussy to care for. This wonderful flower arrangement, however, can be enjoyed carefree. We can sit back and take in the beauty without worrying about fertilizer, temperatures, sun and the proper amount of water. Did you know they recommend placing ice cubes on the soil of a real orchid because placing water directly on its roots is detrimental to its care? Growing your own orchids can be challenging and time consuming. Orchids are one of the more expensive flowers also but this orchid will not wilt and die.

Make an outstanding statement with a wall planter.

Take a mixture of artificial foliage and flowers and make a stunning arrangement. Place them in a decorative wall planter also called a wall pocket or wall vases. These arrangements will enhance any type of décor.

This basket can be placed on a wall shelf or hung directly on the wall. Because artificial flowers and plants do not require soil or water they are nowhere near as heavy and therefore do not require as much hardware to hang them. Add a few artificial flowers into the mix and the arrangement will make a huge hit. By adding lighter colors in the front and darker and deeper colors in the back you will give the arrangement depth. Experiment with different types and colors and make your own unique display.

This wall planter uses a combination of artificial berries and foliage for a very attractive grouping. Hung high on the entry wall or in a hallway color and serenity is immediately added to the décor and so is eye appeal. This stunning wall sconce would look very lovely above a console table, or accent chair.

There are many beautiful and colorful artificial flowers and they are not limited by season. There are many advantages of using artificial flowers for your special event. Here are just a few:

• Any color or color combination can be used.
• There will be no fragrances or pollens to cause allergies or headaches for the participants.
• The beauty of the flowers is exquisite and competes well with the real flowers.
• There is no concern with fading or wilting.
• The flowers do not need water and in fact could be carried with a suitable wrap without vase or urn.
• The floral arrangements can be kept forever as mementos of the event.
• The flowers can be ordered way ahead of time and you can feel free to make arrangements with different types and colors until you find just the right ones for your affair.
• When you get tired of one arrangement, pull out a few flowers, mix and match and make a whole new arrangement.

These lovely lilacs would fool anyone but will not cause the allergic to wrestle with red eyes and sneezing nor migraine sufferers to search for headache relief. Each petal and leaf is sheer perfection.

There is no limit to available colors.

Choose from a wide array of flowers and colors to match any décor or the garments to be worn. For example floral arrangements to match the bridal party really stand out and make the wedding so much more elegant. Sprigs can be placed in the hair, can make boutonnieres or tucked into the waist band of the dress. No need to worry about the flower wilting or getting smooched while dancing. Just fluff it back out.

These red silk tulips and snowballs are so pretty. They look like they were just cut from the garden only prettier.  There are no brown edgings to the leaves or petals and no fear of them dropping leaves or petals either.  Use this as a centerpiece at the guest of honor table. Then make smaller groupings of perhaps a single tulip or a snowball. A tulip with a sprig of baby breath would also make an elegant arrangement in a bud vase.

This beautiful arrangement would add class to any wedding or celebration.

And one of these arrangements gives you so many ideas about complimentary arrangements to go with it.

Will it be cream colored roses or pink or perhaps some hydrangeas? This grouping offers so many possibilities and each one is beautifully acceptable. Buy a few so that you have plenty of flowers to work with. You need a wire cutter to create flowers at the desired length. A silk ribbon to tie tiny bows adds a nice touch.

Make a permanent bouquet.

Take a beautiful piece of fabric or lace matching the dress and wrap it around the stems, and then tie it securely and you have a bouquet that refuses to wilt. Cut tiny buds from a grouping and tuck them into a French braid.  The look is romantic and lasting. Tuck one of the buds away later as a memento of this special event.

The stems of these flowers do not bend then break; in fact you can thread the stem through small holes such as in a woven basket. Winding flowers around the handle of a basket then tying with ribbons makes for a wonderful centerpiece. Use the basket to hold fresh biscuits or rolls or fruit. Smaller baskets can be created to place small finger candies and used as souvenirs of the event.

If a real plant can draw dust so can an artificial one. Keeping your artificial plants and flowers dust free will not only enhance their beauty, but lower the risk of allergies.  One way to assist in keeping not only your plants dust free, but your home is to change your furnace filter frequently and to get your ducts cleaned annually. This will also improve the efficiency of your furnace and help to reduce the costs of your utility bills.

There are many cleaning aids sold in stores to assist with cleaning your artificial flowers and plants. If using a commercial cleaning spray, stand a little ways away from the plant and gently mist it. Avoid getting too much of the cleaner on your plant as you would not want to discolor it. Below is listed some other ways to clean your beautiful artificial plants and flowers:

1. Just prior to vacuuming, take your hair dryer and on the cool setting aim your hair dryer at your plant and moving back and forth blow the dust off of the plant. Now vacuum up the dust.

2. Clean artificial silk flowers by placing them in a paper bag with ¼ cup of salt. Close the bag tightly. Gently shake the bag a few times and when you remove the flowers they should look brand new. Primp and fluff them and place them back in their planter or vase. If you like, this bag and the contents can be saved and reused.

3. Using a cool water wash and a double sink was your flowers. You will need a soft cloth or gloves, lemon dish detergent, cool water and paper towels. DO NOT use HOT water. Many of your contemporary artificial flowers and plants are held together with glue. *Glue may dissolve with hot water or hot air. Fill one side of the sink with cool water and a little lemon dish detergent. Swish until suds form.

• Swish the silk plant around in the soapy water. If any dirt or grime is still adhering to the leaves or petals rub gently with the soft cloth or gloves, not being so abrasive as to cause the flower/plant to fray or fall apart.
• Rinse until all soap residue is off the plant. Any soap left on the plant will cause more residues to adhere to the plant.
• Lay the plants on a paper towel and pat dry with a soft absorbent cloth. Remove from towel and place back into their vase or pot to display and air dry.

4. A gentler way to clean your plants than the salt and bag would be with rice in a shopping bag. Take one shopping bag and place it inside another as shopping bags often have small holes in the center of the bottom. Remove the fake plant or flower and place it along with ½ cup of rice into the shopping bag. Twist the bag closed and shake it for up to one minute. This method is preferred for more delicate fake plants.

• Shake them out until all rice is removed.
• Primp and fluff then place back into their container for display.

Your arrangements will now look more realistic and their beauty will be enhanced as well as the environment in which they are displayed.