June: the perfect month for lilies
Who doesn’t love June? The days are long and sunny and summer has just begun. Lilies are available all year long but the perfect month to splurge on them – whether it’s a delightful little accent or an impressive statement you want to make – is June. Indoors or out in the garden, this flower always imparts a festive touch. After all, this magnificent flower has accumulated many associations over the centuries.
Taking a new look at the white lily
The serene white Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum) is symbolic of purity, virginity and chastity. This is why it appears in so many paintings in reference to the Virgin Mary. In Christian art, virgins (both men and women) are often accompanied by white lilies. Yet even with the white lily’s long history, it’s still very trendy today. Its pure elegance can immediately enhance the look of a contemporary living room.
Lilies on a small scale
We often think of lilies as being big and impressive – that’s what makes them so special. Some of their flowers are even 10 inches across. Even so, it’s also great fun to use them to create a more diminutive look. So be creative – poke through your cabinets and see if you have an old teapot or some such! Add just one or two lily stems, and your little ‘vase’ is pretty as a picture!
A metamorphosis
Lilies are great for making a big statement. Just one bunch is all it takes to create an eye-catching bouquet. What makes them even more special is that you can watch a metamorphosis as their buds open into regal flowers. When the lilies have just been placed in a vase, their buds are still closed, but they will soon be bursting forth one by one to reveal their stunning inner beauty…
Outside, too
In the summer, lilies are a great choice for making an outdoor seating area look oh so inviting. Using lilies outside is sometimes even more effective than having them indoors because the flowers will then have all the room they need to really shine.
Tip: Gladioli make a wonderful addition to a bunch of lilies. Their long spires are exceptionally beautiful when combined with the rounded shapes of the lilies.
Care
Who doesn’t want to enjoy the lilies they just bought or were given for as long as possible? To achieve this, follow these five steps.
Step 1: For a nice presentation, begin by trimming all the stems to the same length.
Step 2: Remove any leaves that might come into contact with the water in the vase.
Step 3: Remove 2 inches from the bottom of the stems, being sure to trim them at an angle.
Step 4: Place the lilies in a vase containing lukewarm water to which you have added nutrients for cut flowers.
Step 5: Place the vase of lilies in a partially shaded location.
Tip: Make sure that the vase is absolutely clean before arranging the lilies in it.
