Want to know how I transform these gorgeous lilies into stunning arrangements? In this How to Design a Lily Flower Arrangement like a Pro post, I'm sharing all my professional secrets!
Don't let those dramatic blooms intimidate you - I've got some simple tricks that make working with lilies so much easier than you'd think. I'll walk you through this arrangement step by step, including how to prevent those annoying pollen stains and make your flowers last longer. With just a few insider tips, you'll be creating beautiful lily displays that look like they came straight from a flower shop!
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Jump to:
- Best tips for choosing the perfect lilies
- Flower preparation
- Supplies for this design
- Variations and special considerations
- How I designed this arrangement
- Uses for this floral design
- Frequently asked questions
- Step by step instructions
- How to Design a Lily Flower Arrangement like a Pro (Step by step instructions)
- More floral design inspiration
If you have been following me on social media or here on my blog, it is no secret that I love floral design. In fact, I had my own floral design business for years where I worked mostly with fresh flowers making flower arrangements for weddings and events.
I've always preferred working with real flowers however as a floral designer I'm happy to practice my flower arranging with faux flowers as well. Today I'm going to take you step by step through how to design a lily flower arrangement like a pro using fresh lilies. This same design can be done with faux Lilies as well!
Best tips for choosing the perfect lilies
Boy is it tempting to buy a big bunch of full-blown beautiful Lilies! They're so beautiful, right?? But wait...that is not always the best idea for a few reasons. Let's discuss:
First, buying lilies in bloom will ensure a shorter lifespan - best to get them closed or with the blooms just starting to open for a longer-lasting bouquet.
Second, lilies in full bloom can be delicate flowers, and getting them home without damaging them can be challenging. Bought in full bloom you are sure to lose a bloom or two along the way.
Lastly, grocery stores and flower markets rarely remove the stamen once the lilies open so often you will see blooms already stained from the orangey pollen. (more on this below)
Pro Tip: Purchase lilies that are still in bud form 3-5 days before you are ready to design with them, this will ensure you bought the freshest flowers.
Flower preparation
Step 1: Bringing the lilies home
I resisted the urge to buy open lilies and instead opted for 2 bunches (3 stems each) of tight, closed lilies, one of my favorite flowers, from our local grocery store. They were $5.99 per bunch. Lilies are luckily available year-round in most stores. As I mentioned previously, on the day I purchased them, the blooms were closed tight, meaning the flower buds had not started opening yet. Having worked with lilies many times in the past, I knew that within a few days they would start blooming.
Once I got the lilies home, I filled a pitcher with cool water and added the included floral food sachet. To prep the flowers, I stripped away any foliage that would sit under the water line and, using my floral knife, trimmed the flower stems at an angle as close to the base as possible. This design requires long stems, so I cut them as long as I could.
Pro Tip: Warm water helps the lilies open faster. Simply follow the steps above but place the stems in warm water.
Step 2: Once the lilies begin to bloom
Over the course of the next few days, the lilies will begin to bloom. You will notice the Stamen which consists of the Anther and Filament as they open. These are parts of the reproductive system of the flower.
As the blooms open, usually one by one, I make sure to remove the Anther as this keeps the orange powdery coating from dropping on the petals of the flower. This powder stains the petals and can stain anything else it touches (i.e. clothing, table cloths, etc) so best to remove them by gently swiping your fingers over to pull them off.
Pro Tip: Removing the anthers does not injure or reduce the life of the cut flower.
Supplies for this design
- 4 stems of Lilies - large oriental lilies work well (i.e. Rubrum Lilies or Casablanca Lilies)
- 1 block of wet floral foam
- 1 container - I used a vintage wire bowl with a glass Pyrex dish as a liner
- Floral design knife or scissors
- 2 - 32" S'mores sticks - bought at a local grocery store ( you can also use straight sticks from outdoors )
- 1 pkg of Sheet moss
- Ribbon
- Scissors
- Tape
Interested in floral design? Be sure to check out my 8 Must-Have Flower Arranging Supplies for Your Home to make sure you have what you need!
Variations and special considerations
Different Types of Flowers: Lilies work well for this design but other flowers could work too. You could use a single type of flower like all roses or a mixture of flower types. A combination would offer a variety of textures and you could use bright flowers or something more neutral. For best results fewer large blooms won't make the "stalk" doesn't get too thick. The key is lots of large blooms with few stems!
Fresh or Faux: You can use either! There are some stunning faux Lilies available at your local craft stores. Just remember if making this design with faux flowers be sure to get dry flower foam instead of fresh wet foam.
Container options: This design was made in one of my favorite one-of-a-kind vintage wire baskets. Below I share some other container options.
How I designed this arrangement
- Setting up the Floral Foam: Once most of the lilies were in full bloom, I was ready to design! The first step was to prepare the container. For this design, I used an old vintage wired bowl that I bought at Off The Common Antiques. Since this bowl does not hold water on its own, I placed a glass pyrex dish that fits right in the center of the wired bowl to create a water reservoir. Next, I soaked a block of floral foam in water and cut it to fit snugly inside the pyrex dish within the vintage bowl.
- Cover Foam Base with Moss: I then covered the glass dish and foam completely with moss so that no glass or foam was visible. I left the center portion of foam uncovered for now while arranging in the lilies. Next, I took 2 long sticks and taped them together into a bundle, which will help support the lilies. I pushed this stick bundle into the center of the foam, straight up like a mast.
- Add and Arrange Lily Stems: Then, one lily stem at a time, I gave each a fresh cut and placed the stems around the stick bundle, pushing them into the foam. I arranged 4 lily stems evenly spaced in a circle surrounding the sticks, keeping the blooms high since the lilies are the focal point. Lily stems can seem floppy when the blooms are open, but not to worry! Next I tied the stems right under the blooms to the support sticks with a ribbon, finishing with a bow.
- Hide Visible Foam with Moss: Lastly, I filled in any visible foam with additional moss.
Uses for this floral design
This is the perfect bouquet for dinner parties, brunch flowers, wedding flowers, or even sympathy flowers. I have it pictured below on our buffet set up for guests.
Frequently asked questions
Lilies symbolize purity, fertility, rebirth, and new beginnings. The white lily is connected with chastity and virtue, the yellow lily means gratitude and desire for enjoyment, and the orange lily represents passion.
To care for lilies in an arrangement, check the water level in the container daily and refill it regularly. Flowers will last longer in water enriched with floral food solutions. Every 2-3 days, gently plunge the arrangement up and down in a sink of lukewarm water to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Then place it back in its spot, draining off excess water.
When cared for properly, this lily arrangement can last up to 2 weeks or sometimes longer. Lilies bloom sequentially from the bottom up, so you may lose some blooms halfway through while top buds are still opening. Simply clip off the lowest dying blooms to maintain the display. Other factors affecting longevity are lily variety, freshness when purchased, proper care, and removal of anthers daily to prevent staining.
Yes, many lily varieties are quite fragrant. Some may have light sweet scents while others have stronger, more heady aromas. The fragrance often intensifies as the blooms begin dying off. Certain types like stargazer lilies have an especially powerful perfume that some find overbearing in enclosed indoor spaces.
Step by step instructions
How to Design a Lily Flower Arrangement like a Pro (Step by step instructions)
Instructions
- Soak the brick of wet floral foam in water until saturated, about 1 minute. The easiest way to do this is to fill your sink and let the floral foam float until it sinks.
- Prepare your container by filling it with foam. With a knife cut the foam to the size of the container. The foam should sit snug in the container so it won't shift.
- Be sure the foam is not only snug fitting but also allows "wells" for water. This will reduce the amount of watering the arrangement will need.
- Take the moss and break it into pieces and place on top of the foam leaving the very center of the foam open for now. If needed add more moss to cover anything you do not want showing.
- In 3 different places, using tape, tape two sticks together creating a stick bundle.
- Push the stick bundle straight down the center of the foam. These sticks will be supporting the lily stems.
- Take one stem of lilies, give it a fresh angled cut at the bottom of the stem and place it in the foam right in front of the sticks. Repeat for all 4 stems placing them at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00. The flowers should all cluster at the top of the design measuring 20"-24" from the bottom of the container.
- Cut a 24" strip of ribbon and tie the strip around the stems of the lilies right under the blooms. This will secure them to the stick bundle.
- Take the same kind of ribbon and make a bow. Start by leaving a 8"-10" tail.
- Loop the ribbon up and fold over towards the back and pinch. You want the loop to be about 6".
- Then slide the ribbon down and loop towards you making the same size loop and pinch on top of the first pinch.
- Repeat the loop process making 5 loops, 3 on top, 2 on bottom. After the 5th loop leave another 8"-10 tail.
- Take the pinch part of the loop and secure it to the arrangement by pressing it in the center of the ribbon knot used to secure the lilies to the stick stack. Tie and knot.
- Cut tails at an angle to finish.
- Take some wire cutters and cut the tops of the sticks down.
- Water the foam in the container every 2-3 days or as needed. Enjoy!
More floral design inspiration
Explore our collection of professional flower guides:
- Master the art of working with stock flowers to create lush, long-lasting arrangements with proper stem preparation
- Discover 30 versatile filler flowers that transform basic bouquets into professional designs, from classic choices to unexpected alternatives
- Extend the vase life of tulips with proven florist techniques that keep them standing tall and looking fresh
These expert floral guides will help you create more beautiful arrangements with your favorite blooms while saving money and enjoying flowers longer in your home.
Thank you for visiting the blog today for How to Design a Lily Flower Arrangement like a Pro! To watch a video tutorial of this design visit here. To learn more about bow making visit my, How to Make a Ribbon Wreath Bow post. Have you tried decorating a cake with fresh flowers? If not, I show you how and answer your questions on my Cake with Fresh Flowers post. Also please check out my Garden Rose post to see the most amazing Roses!
Keep creating friends!
