What do you think of my new display of beautiful tropical blooms? I’m in love with them. They came from Deptford Poundland and this stunning bouquet cost a fiver.

Since forever plastic flowers have been a byword for naffness and terrible bad taste. But might that be changing? I was talking about A Rebours here recently, the scandalous fin de siècle novel about a man retreating into a world of decorative and sensual decadence in his own home (it’s amazing). In it a whole chapter is devoted to his building a collection of exotic flowers, only to replace them eventually with fakes – the ultimate anti-nature statement.

Less pretentiously, designer and stylist Abigail Ahern has recently launched a collection of immaculate faux flowers. Just tell me these ain’t lovely.

Mine are a bit more vulgar, and a lot more obviously fake. But no less beautiful for that, no?