Debra Prinzing

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SLOW FLOWERS: Week 49

Sunday, December 8th, 2013

Conifers, Cones and Lilies

Deep raspberry-pink lilies (Oregon grown) paired with evergreens from my yard.

Deep raspberry-pink lilies (Oregon grown) paired with evergreens from my yard.

Ingredients:
5 stems dark pink ‘Rio Negro’ hybrid Oriental lilies, greenhouse grown by Peterkort Roses
5 stems Norway spruce (Picea abies), gleaned from my driveway
7 short branches Western red cedar (Thuja plicata), clipped from my garden
3 stems Camellia (Camellia japonica), clipped from my garden
5 lengths variegated ivy (Hedera helix), trimmed from a neighbor’s fence


Lovely cones contrast organically with the teal vase and blue-green needles.

Lovely cones contrast organically with the teal vase and blue-green needles.

Vase:

12-inch tall x 9-inch diameter with 6-inch opening vintage McCoy urn

Design 101
Lilies for longevity: When you design with Oriental lilies, more than a week of enjoyment will ensue. One or two blooms at a time open and share their loveliness almost in succession, ensuring that something is always in flower. Don’t forget to clip the pollen-laden stamen and pistils from the center of each bloom as it opens. Otherwise, as those pieces fall, they can stain table linens.