Photo by Laura Arsie
Leaning tower of lilacs
This arrangement is especially unique and not just for its simple beauty
Fresh lilac branches are clothed in white blooms—we used common lilac, *Syringa vulgaris'* Madame Florent Stepman’—a charming variation from the more conventional purple or mauve. (Choice abounds when it comes to lilacs: there are 18 species with 1,800 named cultivars and 1,000 varieties of lilac bushes!)
But a gardener really has to appreciate the philosophy “live fast, die young” to choose to cut these cold-climate thrivers, effectively shrinking the blooms’ two-week spring lifespan in the garden down to, at best, five oh-so-sweetly fragrant days indoors. What better way to make the most of these sturdy stems than in the latest style of grouping one flower type on a
slight angle (be gentle, lilac flowers are delicate). Choose a vase with a small enough opening to hold the stems in place.
**TIPS**
* cut lilacs when the flowers are one-quarter to one-half open
* remove all foliage that will be in water and let the blooms rest up to their necks in cool water overnight before arranging
* don’t crush the stem; split it a couple inches up the centre (the best way to help it take in water)
* always use a floral preservative and change the water every day, adding preservative each time
* keep the flowers out of direct sunlight
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