I usually don’t plant specific things just to make an arrangement, I plan color families, lots of bloom for certain times of year, and foliage to match the colors I use, but not ,say, specifically two different tulips to place with one certain lilac, except for this one teeny eeny instance…and it didn’t work out as perfectly as I wanted, but it was close.

The lilac is a bi-colored one called ‘Sensation’, and if you could be in love with a flower, than this would be the one. It is perfect….intense color, long lasting, and fragrant…be still my heart. At its feet I planted the dreamy white tulip ‘Purissima’ and its deep dark counterpart ‘Queen of Night’ .  Problem was, the white tulip bloomed and passed before the lilac was fully opened.  Just an FYI , lilacs do much better as cut flowers if you follow a few simple steps

1.) cut them when all florets are fully opened

2.) strip ALL the leaves

3.) make a vertical cut in the stem where it goes in the vase for better water uptake. If they are being really fussy , you can hold the stems in just barely boiling water for a count of 10, but that usually is not necessary.

Anyway, the lilac was just starting to color up as the white tulip was shedding its petals, so I had to change the plan a little.

Instead I cut a few just emerging stems of gray artemesia , which is a great filler, some of the arching branches of a white spirea ( name unknown) and the “Queen of Night’ tulip and one single stem of the lilac. Really, if I could preserve this little arrangement forever I would. The tulip looks and feels like soft velvet, and the airy blossoms on the spirea which I adore every year outside, are making their debut in a flower vase here and I could look at them all day. The lilac is scented just enough that it is not overpowering, just perfect for sticking your nose in as you pass by.   Somedays  being a flower gardener is simply everything.