Q. Are artificial flowers considered tacky? Both in my living room and as a centerpiece on my dining room table?

A. Artificial flowers can be tacky and they can be elegant. The difference is the quality of the artificial flowers. This is true of so much in our lives.

If it is not well executed it can be seen as tacky. I am a gardener; it is my hobby. I abhor flowers that do not look like the real thing.

Using non appropriate colors of flowers just because they match our room decor is a tacky travesty. Colors and styles need to be true to nature.

Buy only flowers that are good reproductions of nature in color and form. They will cost you more, but they will last forever. I have some that are at least 25 years old and recycled into different arrangements.

I like orchids and they last, but it takes many months for them to bloom again. In those off months, I add a fabulous fake orchid spray to the real plant. No one would ever know this was a fake without my telling them.

I also like to use artificial trees and greenery mixed with real in my own home. Sometimes when I want a plant the light is just not right for growing. A fabulous fake solves the problem.