Looking for the best artificial plants for my apartment

[littleJoyful]

Hey everyone, I’m trying to add some greenery to my apartment, but I’m a total newbie when it comes to indoor plants. I’ve always loved having plants around, but I’ve killed a few real ones in the past, so I’m thinking artificial might be the way to go. I live in a smaller apartment with lots of natural light during the day, but I don’t have space for large planters, and I don’t want something that requires constant maintenance.

I’ve been browsing different artificial plant options online and in stores. Nearly Natural has a lot of realistic-looking large plants that can make a statement in a room, and Costa Farms offers smaller, budget-friendly potted plants that are perfect for shelves or desks. I also noticed Garvee artificial plants mentioned on some forums—they seem well-made and reasonably priced, though I haven’t seen as many long-term reviews as the other options. I’m trying to figure out what would work best in a small apartment while still looking natural.

Has anyone here used artificial plants in small apartments? How do you decide which ones look realistic without taking up too much space? Any tips for placement, size, or style would be really appreciated!

They never look realistic and they are all made of plastic so will degrade into microplastics destroying the natural environment while mimicking it. Buy some seeds and plant some real plants in a windowsill and enjoy reality.

Try a spider plant. So long as they get some light and water occasionally they do pretty well.

Id get resilient real plants like spider and aloe plants. Only water when they are almost dry. Look after them and enjoy them. Plastic ones are grim.

None of them look at all natural or realistic. Spiderplants are unkillable. Or get some succulents.

That's a bit harsh, @FruAashild . How do you feel about pictures of plants (or any other beautiful thing) on the walls of our homes? Are they terrible too because we can all see that they aren't the real thing?

Th OP has explained why she doesnt want real plants, and it's not as if the environmental impact of artificial plants is more devastating than any of the other discretionary plastic we have in our homes. Also, there are environmental impacts of real plants too. Peat, transport costs, heated greenhouses, etc.

I have a million real houseplants and no plastic ones because I love caring for plants. But I can also understand the value of the colour and shape added by artificial ones. They are so much better now than they were a decade or so ago.

I don't know where to buy the best ones, OP. They have loads in our local garden centre. Perhaps worth browsing at a garden centre near you?

Get some real plants, fake ones never look good.

Monstera‘s are really easy to keep, only water it when it’s completely dried out, most people kill house plants by overwatering rather than under watering.

Succulents are super easy too, Jade plants are really easy to keep, any succulents need very minimal watering and mine seem to thrive on general neglect!

Where are you based? If you happen to be anywhere near me I’ve got cuttings I’d happily pass on, you’ve lost nothing then.

There are some beautiful silk flowers and fabric houseplants that look authentic and stay nice and green all year round without watering them 😊 John Lewis M&S Next Home and The Range do plenty of different types for all budgets.

Just to add, real houseplants are so overmarketed these days that some of them look almost as artificial as artificial plants. They are bred to look perfect in the shop, often with flowers that it is very hard to reproduce at home, often with rather bizarre modifications of colour, and often very 'static' --- not changing much through growth, only changing through deterioration.

It seems pious to devalue the pleasure that can be found in cheerful plastic fakery, especially when there is so much fakery in the real thing.

Yeah, god forbid anyone should sound ‘pious’.🙄

If you can’t help the OP with what they want, you don’t need to reply. 😅

I know a couple of people who have got some from here and they’re happy with them.

https://www.bloomingartificial.co.uk/collections/artificial-plants?gad_campaignid=353351684&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD6fSDD8W7P4r49OkUQfG1SX815FX&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI29vnjeyKkwMVXJlQBh3rZRTPEAAYASAAEgLgGvD_BwE

@littleJoyful OKA plants and stems always look good. Not cheap but look real. Faux flower stems at Neptune are very good too. Just greenery, try M&S. Once you have bought them they last for decades.

I think there are some excellent fake ones now! I got a tree from the local garden centre and it looks very real. Succulents look plastic anyway so that's an idea for you. I'd go somewhere so you can have a look in real life and see what you think

Does this thread help?
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5487476-where-can-i-buy-amazing-looking-artificial-plants

I bought some from M&S for house selling staging. They’re not bad.

I would recommend actually seeing the plants and not just buying online. Pics can be very deceptive.

I already commented on the other thread linked above, but ikea has them too.

IKEA ones are very good.

I would go for dried grasses rather than fake plants. They really brighten up a place and no need for any attention