Although I don’t know what my mother, a master gardener, will think about this post, I do know that I need flowers. This is an inexpensive way to get them. So I’m sharing. I don’t know how my mother, a master gardener, will feel about this post. But flowers are essential to me. This is one way that you can have them every day for a very low price. So I’m sharing.

First, you will need a realistic-looking faux stem for your faux flower. This one I bought (which I think is an apple blossom) at Michaels’ Spring Clearance aisle for 99 cents.

This stem is my favorite for several reasons.

1) The leaves’ edges are not smooth but “toothed”. It is very realistic.

2) Each leaf has a very specific vein pattern. It is very realistic.

3) The petals of the blossom are not brightly colored, but off-white. #Realistic

4) The stamen, which are located in the middle of each bloom, are made from fabric and not plastic. They are matte and not shiny.

5) The branch color is a dark brown, not a warm chocolate brown like I see often. A branch that has the texture and color of a real branch is my favorite.

Next, you will need a container to place your branches/stems. It’s possible you already have one, but if not, a friendly (non sponsored) reminder: Michaels has a lot of glass vases at 70% off right now. This cutie was mine for less than 5 dollars

It’s called Quick Water. It’s fake water, which I bought at Michaels. It will keep your arrangement in order… and looking real. It’s fake water that will keep your arrangement in place…and looking real.

After mixing it in a separate cup, I put it into a vase. I used pencils to secure my stem, which I had actually split into two.

This tip is also very useful: Regardless of what the box says on the package, you must not move or touch your arrangement during curing. Your stems will move and your water will become a million tiny bubbles. #TrustMe

These photos show that one container of Quick Water did not mix well enough to make enough “water” in my vase. This is due to the size of the bottom. If I could, I would have mixed another half of the box.