Life | Leavin Train

Posts Tagged ‘life’

Life Like

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Life Like

Today's Silk Trees And Silk Plants Are Now So Life Like

Silk trees and silk plants have changed a lot since I used to work with them. Back in 1985, I had a job at my cousins silk plants store called Fantasy Forest. There was a small showroom up front where customers could see the finished product, and a large warehouse area in back where we actually created the designs. We would get boxes of silk flowers and artificial tree branches with silk leaves and/or silk flowers attached. Silk Ficus Trees were very popular as were flowering trees such as Apple Blossom, Cherry Blossom and Dogwood.

Periodically, we would get shipments of real Birch tree trunks in various diameters and heights. Since most silk trees were custom made, I would start by choosing a limb closest to the height needed. I would mix plaster in a cardboard planter and insert the trunk. Drying took a couple of hours, depending on the size. A paper planter was used so it could be peeled away, leaving just the plaster "cast". The cast would then be placed into a decorative planter. Moss and/or silk ivy would be arranged on top of the plaster to cover and disguise it. After the trunk had set, the branches were added. Starting at the top, I would drill a diagonal hole completely through the trunk. I'd fill the hole with hot glue and insert the silk tree branch. I'd hold it in position until the glue cooled. The branches would then be shaped to look like a real tree.

As I said, most of our silk trees were custom made. One order we did was for a Las Vegas shopping mall. The silk trees were all at least 20 feet tall. We made 25 foot silk trees for a Las Vegas nightclub. Silk trees of that size were always done on-site, as transporting them was difficult and could cause damage.

Of course we did much more than silk trees. We constantly got orders for silk wedding bouquets. Though most couples used real flowers for the wedding, many brides would have the bouquets made with silk flowers, so they would keep without losing their beauty. Most of our silk plant arrangements were custom made for people who needed to fill up space in a large area of their home. Silk plants are wonderful for areas up high or hard to get at, since they require no water and only need to be cleaned every few months.

Looking back, as beautiful as our creations were, the products we used were nowhere near the quality available today. Silk trees and silk plants I see now are unbelievably vibrant and life like. I've seen silk plants I actually had to feel to know if they were real. I especially enjoy live plants with silk flowers mixed in. A clever way of adding more variety and color without flowers wilting. Silk trees and silk plants can balance a room by filling in spaces with year round color and beauty.

About the Author

Paula's love of silk trees and silk plants carried over to her daughter, who now owns and operates http://www.SilkTreesPlease.com with her father.