I have worked with both fresh and silk flowers over the years, but now I am internet based it is 97% silks.
I have seen the silks evolve from the late 70's naff, garish colours, poor materials into glorious true to life blooms.
Okay, you can still get the cheap and cheerful naff flowers if you look
Lots of the internet businesses are ripping people off with the inferior flowers and charging an arm and leg for them.
Absolutely anyone can be a silk florist, daahlink. Not.
You see the tat they have on ebay and thousands of feedback, and you think, '' people like this c rap?''
Then you look at what the prices are, who can get a brides, 2 maids and 4 buttonholes for a Buy it now £14-99
There are many good companies out there as well, and I wish them all the best. It has taken me a long time to find all my suppliers and I think the flowers I use are better than average, but to be honest, the majority of customers cant seem to tell the difference between a 1-99 bunch rose and a £2-60 stem rose.
Silks are so much easier to work with than fresh, no bruising, no or minimal waste, constant supplies and wonderful variety.
BUT they can be very antiseptic, no glorious scents in the air, the feel of a satin like bloom. So no sensory rush.
But, I now have nails and no chapped or septic hands
Sorry for the ramble