Who are your customers?
Here in Wilmslow (UK) our customers come from all walks of life and we get a great many business people and their families.

Do you sell many lilies?
Yes, we sell lots of Orientals such as ‘ Bahia Blanca’, ‘Yelloween’, ‘Anton Geesink’, ‘Dordogne’ and ‘Sumatra’.

What kind of events are they generally bought for?
We use most lilies in wedding flowers. We can use up to 500 stems for some weddings.

Do you always have lilies in stock?
We sell them in all seasons and look forward to some varieties that are only available at certain times of the year.

What fascinates you about lilies?
They are long lasting and I love their fragrance – the stronger the better. The shape of the flowers and the stems can make a huge contribution to the style of a bouquet or arrangement.

What is your favourite lily?
Longiflorum ‘White Europe’ with its lovely trumpet shape. My favourite Oriental is ‘Casa Blanca’. Although this lily has been on the market for years, it has lost none of its attraction.

Have you any tips to pass on to your colleagues?
Be passionate about your flowers. Stand them in a prominent spot in the shop. Make sure you know their names, details of their vase life and how quickly they open. The pink ‘Le Reve’ for example, is quick to open while the white ‘Caroline Tensen’ can need a week. Once open however, it will have a vase life of several weeks.


New hybrids with bigger buds
Hybrids of various types of lilies are on the increase in the lily assortment. For example, there are now more LA-hybrids – a cross between Asian and longiflorum lilies – than there are Asian lilies. Another newcomer is the OT-hybrid, a cross between Oriental and longiflorum lilies. It is forecast that the OT-hybrids will eventually replace the Orientals. The great advantages of these hybrids are their larger buds and shorter growing time, both of which contribute to lower cost prices.

Starry night Lilium (LA-hybrid) ‘Salmon Classic’ (11848) wrapped in Cordyline fruticosa Black Tie (19738) and bilberry twigs sprayed with black glitter. Decorated with orange sticks.	Let it snow Hand tied bouquet of Lilium (Oriental Grp.) ‘ Helvetia’ (10955), Gloriosa rothschildiana (162) and Cordyline fruticosa Black Tie (19738). The tie point is wrapped around with ribbon and fixed in place with pins.
‘Litouwen’ (23554) Pure white LA-hybrid lily with huge flowers.	‘Heraklion’ (23784) Peach coloured Asian lily with Bordeaux stamens.
‘Original Love’ (21724) Prettily speckled, blood red LA-hybrid with large flowers.	'Robina’ (24378) Unique, deep purple Oriental.Even the buds are delightfully coloured.
‘Crystal Blanca’ (15586) Sweetly scented, pure white Oriental. Up to 30 cm in diameter!	‘Legend’ (20519) Yellow and white Oriental with large buds and a pleasant scent.
‘Pandora’ (11801) Yellow and pink, prettily speckled Oriental.