In the garden, I prefer the real deal when it comes to flowers. But inside? Give me jugs of faux flowers that look fabulous day in, day out. So you can imagine how pleased I am to see that Ikea just expanded its range of artificial stems. It's exactly the easy spring boost my home needs.

I’m a big fan of the Swedish brand’s artificial flowers, not least because of their affordable pricetags. I like to arrange faux blooms with real foliage and the flowers I grow for cutting, which helps to disguise the fact they’re artificial. But what’s really great with some of Ikea's stems is that you can easily alter the stem length with a pair of pliers, which also makes for a more natural jug-full.

Some of the new products are paper-based so for indoor use only, but most are made from a mix of recycled polyester and polyethylene, so they’ll be fine outdoors in the garden for a season or so, perhaps tucked into a trellis or prettying up a pergola. As patio ideas go, it's a quick win. There are limited edition stems as well as permanent additions, so be sure to check out this little spring cheat-treat soon.

Limited Edition Hydrangea Stems

Ikea's SMYCKA artificial hydrangea stems measure 21¾ inches tall and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

New Paper Artificial Stems

Created from paper, Ikea's GULDSPETT faux stems are for indoor use only and sold as single flowers. Steel wire in the stems means they can be bent into a natural shape. The anemone stem measures 13¾ inches, the poppy is 15¾ inches and the iris is 17¾ inches.

Limited Edition Faux Potted Plants

Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, Ikea's new limited edition FEIJKA faux plants are made from plastic, of which at least 50% is recycled, so can be used outside and in. The faux baby's breath plant is 8¼ inches high in a 3½ inch diameter pot. Both the lavender and bouganvilla are in 4¾ inch diameter pots; the artificial lavender plant is 19 inches tall but no measurement is given for the length of the trailing bouganvilla stems.

Limited Edition Bouquets

Both Ikea's SMYCKA bouganvilla and cosmos bouquets feature 20-inch stems and are made from plastic, of which at least 50% is recycled. The MÄVINN bouquet consists of dried natural foliage and flowers.