Lilies in bloom: A quick guide to bringing lily bouquets into your home or office

Fancy a bouquet of fresh flowers, but hate throwing them in the compost after a few days? A stunning bouquet of lilies will meet your desire for a lovely floral arrangement with a long life. Check out this quick guide to bringing lily bouquets into your home or office.

Therapeutic benefits of lilies

Lilies have long been valued for their beauty and benefits. Bringing a fresh bouquet of lilies into your living area or office is a lovely way of boosting energy or calming anxiety, depending on the scents and colours featured in your floral arrangement. White lilies are well-known as a symbolic representation of purity, fertility and youth, while the stylistic lily in the fleur-de-lis is an enduring image of royalty. Some lily varieties have been used traditionally for medicinal purposes, with edible bulbs harvested and mashed to treat a range of ailments, from tumors to skin ulcers. Unfortunately, lilies do not have the same therapeutic effect on our feline friends, so keep your lilies well out of reach of any wandering cats!

Best varieties for indoors

Choosing the ideal lily variety for your indoor space is really a matter of personal taste. While Asiatic lilies are not scented, they are easy to grow and come in a range of vibrant colours and unique shapes. For a golden hue and a stunning shape, trumpet lilies are the perfect cut flower, with large, waxy blooms of attractive flared petals. To benefit from the beautiful scent of lilies, choose a white bloom or opt for a tiger lily, which are renown for their stunning aroma. For a visually-pleasing floral arrangement, opt for upward-facing Asiatic varieties such as Monte Negro. Stargazer or Black Out lilies with straight stems, vibrant colours and high bud count.

Caring for your lilies

While your bouquet of lilies has a naturally ling shelf life indoors, there are a few steps that you can take to ensure that you'll be enjoying their beauty for weeks to come. Once you bring your cut lilies home, take the time to re-cut the stems at a 45 degree angle, and place them in fresh water away from direct sunlight. Refresh the water regularly- at least every four to five days. Removing the red-brown pollen from the stamens in the centre of your blooming lilies will increase longevity of bloom considerably. Lilies have a particularly long vase life, and you can expect two weeks of beautiful blooms with minimal care.

For more information on the benefits, variety and care of lilies in your home or office space, chat with your local lily delivery service for expert advice.