Floral Fridays: Lilacs

Ah, the scent of lilacs. If you are looking for fragrant wedding flowers, look no further than these sweet, delicate blooms. For me, lilacs flood me with memories: despite living right in the middle of a big city like Berlin (Germany), our little street was lined with tree lilacs, in every possible lilac hue from the palest lavender to deep pinky plum, and of course, crisp white. In the spring, the air was infused with their heady scent - absolute magic!

Right now, when I open the front door of my house on an early May morning and the wind stirs my lone lilac bush just right, those memories of childhood come right back, and I can't help but smile.

Lilacs aren't the hardiest of blooms, but with proper conditioning they should make it through the day as a bouquet and in a vase as centerpieces, although they do not seem too fond of oasis (floral foam that many of use for more complex designs).
For everyday, buy them when they are fresh and plentiful at your farmers market. For your wedding or special event, I suggest late April through mid to late May, depending on your location and that year's weather. Lilics are fabulous with fluttery blooms such as sweet peas and peonies, I prefer them monochromatic in tone when mixing textures.

image from martha stewart weddings

image courtesy of Kathy Wright and Company, a fabulous Sand Diego designer!

Daniela