Lilies are a great long lasting flower and they come in a variety of colours. Oriental lilies and tiger lilies are the most common varieties found in florists. The star shaped blooms are a popular choice and can last up to two weeks in a vase. It is best to buy lilies when they are in bud, this means they are very fresh and you can enjoy watching them bloom. Open Lily blooms can bruise easily so take care and you also need to remember to remove the brown stamens from the flower before they become dusty, this brown dust can stain clothing or table clothes if it drops. 

Are you a cat lover? Lilies are highly toxic to cats, so keep them out of harms way!

The Oriental Lily has the strongest scent of all lily varieties and is available in a range of pinks, white and lemon. They are long lasting and are available all year round. 

Tiger lilies are another popular choice and are available in yellow, orange, pink, & white. They have a similar shape to the Oriental lily but often have smaller blooms and have little to no fragrance. They look great in a mixed bouquet or just in a vase on their own. 

Other varieties available are Arum Liles, Asiatic Lilies, November Lilies, Calla Lilies, Water Lilies, Gloriosa Lilies and Madonna Lilies (Spathiphyllum or peace lily)

Growing Lilies 

Lilies are a bulb flower which make a great flowering plant in your garden or in pots. There are many species available and are quite easy to grow. They dislike overly wet soil so make sure the soil is well drained. Lilies like sunshine and if you feed them with bulb food over spring you will have an abundance of prominent blooms over Summer.