We celebrate the warmer months with the elegant lily within the Flower Agenda throughout July. That way we can enjoy the feeling of a blooming spring for a little while longer.
​Everyone can read all about this versatile flower with information about it’s colours, shapes and sizes. We at the BFA champion the Flower of the Month campaign and provide information and promotion material for Florists and interesting articles to consumers. Our friends at The Flower Council of Holland the masterminds will be promoting the agenda on their consumer website Funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk.
Florists: Get involved and Show your customers the lily’s remarkable qualities over the coming weeks! Scroll to the bottom of the page to download your posters and find the link for simple promotional ideas.
The origin of the lily
Lilies are not only varied in terms of colour, shape and size, but also in where they come from. You can find them growing wild in Korea, Japan and parts of Siberia, but also close to the equator in India. In Europe the lily is native to the Caucasus, the Balkans, Greece, Poland, the Alps and Pyrenees. It also grows wild in most American states, with the exception of the south-west part of the United States. The lily is quite the traveller!
The lily’s colours and shapes
Their tall stems adorned with multiple flowers create a striking display in various colours, shapes and sizes, wither as a mono bouquet, or mixed with other flowers. From serene white and calm pink to dramatic red, yellow, purple and orange and with stripes, fringes or spots. There are single and double flowered lilies, and even varieties without pollen, ideal for cat owners, hayfever sufferers and for people with all-white interiors! The flowers can have a diameter ranging from 7cm up to an astonishing 25 centimetres. Some also have very stretched calyxes.
Care
These care tips will enable the flowers to be enjoyed for even longer:
- Select a clean vase and fill it with tap water at room temperature.
- Add cut flower food to the water for a longer vase life.
- Cut or trim the stems diagonally by 3 to 5 cm with a sharp and clean knife or secateurs.
- Make sure there are no leaves hanging in the water.
- Do not place lilies in a draught, in full sun or near central heating.
- Regular top the vase up with tap water.
- Take account of lilies’ sometimes strong scent.
- Don’t place lilies near a fruit bowl. Fruit emits ethylene gas which will cause the flowers to age more rapidly.
- Any pollen stains can be removed by carefully lifting them with a piece of sellotape. Don’t rub them – that will cause nasty stains.
Symbolism of the lily
Lilies really are packed with symbolism. The most important symbolic meanings are:
- Femininity. In Greek and Roman times brides were given a crown of lilies in the hope of a pure and fruitful life.
- Love. In Victorian days receiving a sweet-scented lily told you: this is my beloved.
- Purity. White lilies are often used at weddings as a symbol of virginity and purity.
- Transience. The serene and pure appearance of the lily expresses emotions at times of loss and mourning.
Bouquet recipe
A gorgeous bouquet with the lily as the star.
You will need
• Lily
• Anthurium
• Delphinium
• Dahlia
• Ammi majus (bullwort)
• Amaranthus (love-lies-bleeding)
• Snapdragon
• Setaria (foxtail)
• Calathea
More about the lily
Consumers can also find more information at Funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk
Inspiration and information
Inspiring images of every flower in the Flower Agenda have been produced in line with the Horticulture Sector Trends 2018. These trends are a translation of what our consumers are interested in at the moment and are specifically aimed at the horticulture sector for use both indoors and outdoors.
Florist’s promotional material
Posters to download in your business from top left 1 – 3 from bottom left 4 – 6
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_1
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_2
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_3
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_4
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_5
BFA_July_Peony_FOTMP_Poster_6
 (002).png)
