Lilies Take Center Stage

Trumpet in the holidays with delightful, fragrant lilies as the centerpiece of your season.

Text: Lucyann Boston
Photos: Anne Matheis (Floral Arrangements)
November 2009

‘Casa Blanca' lilies lend an elegant sophistication to the table.

The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheep a threat'ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.

– William Blake,
poet, Songs of Experience

Raspberry-shaded ‘Stargazer' Oriental lilies add a vibrant flair to a holiday centerpiece.

The lovely lily is among the oldest known cultivated plants. Lilies have played an important role in history, dating back to the days of Ancient Greece and Rome, when they were often used for ornamentation. Today, the tiger lily and the Madonna lily, named for its sweet scent and purity, are two of the most popular varieties. Equally as stunning are Asiatic lilies, such as the raspberry-pink ‘Corsica' and ‘Crete' varieties, which bloom in early summer and are known for their striking colors. Oriental lilies, such as the pure white ‘Casa Blanca' and pink ‘Stargazer,' bloom later and are known for their beauty and fragrance.

With all the history and symbolism behind them, lilies are the perfect flower to celebrate the abundance of Thanksgiving and the joy and spirituality of the ensuing holiday season.
Recently, floral designer Bob Hauck of Walter Knoll Florist created some lovely, lily-centered arrangements to illustrate how this beautiful flower can span the entire holiday season. Here are some of his tips that will work in your own home.

Build the base of the arrangement with seasonal foliage. (For Thanksgiving, Bob selected sheaves of wheat, bittersweet berries and spiney grevillea; for upcoming holiday celebrations he used pine, bare branches, pine cones and even sparkling ornaments.) Then, add lilies or other fresh flowers. The base of the arrangement can remain throughout the season. Refresh the arrangement with new flowers as the old ones fade.
Change the water in the arrangement every day. Bacteria builds up in the water and causes flowers to age more quickly. Also, remove all leaves below the water line to prevent bacteria buildup.

To enjoy an arrangement for the maximum time, purchase bunches of lilies that are in tight bud. The flowers will open at different times. Remove tired blossoms as new ones open. Carefully snip off pollen-laden anthers in new blossoms  to prevent clothing stains.
To maximize holiday glitz, consider spraying dried material, such as pine cones or bare branches, gold or silver and even adding touches of sprinkled-on glitter.

How to plant lilies in your own garden

Lily sidebar photography by Michael Jacob at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Thanks to hybridizers who began to work with lilies in the 1920s, the flower that for centuries was rare and difficult to grow is now readily available to the home gardener in an immense number of colors.

  • Plant lilies in the fall or early spring. In St. Louis they will do best in locations that receive either filtered sun throughout the day or morning sun and afternoon shade. Choose bulbs that are firm and free from blemishes and rot. Then, plant them 5 to 6 inches deep in well-drained soil that has been amended to 12 inches with organic matter.
  • To help plants become established and encourage root growth, consider incorporating bone meal into the soil. For best results apply a balanced, time-release bulb fertilizer as soon as the plants are a few inches tall in the spring.
  • Because lilies prefer shaded roots, combine lilies with low-growing perennials or taller companion plants that will shade the base of the lily.
  • To enjoy lilies for the maximum amount of time, mingle Asiatic and Oriental lilies in the garden.

 

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