What Flowers Mix Best With Orchids & Lilies?

Lilies

• Asiatic and Oriental hybrid lilies grow readily in sunny, well-drained soil across much of the United States. Once established, they can provide cut flowers from May through August. They establish a strong vertical line in an arrangement, and their large nodding or upright blooms make an impressive mass. Lilies bloom in bright shades and patterns of red, yellow and white, but the pastels of the Stargazer hybrids and other Orientals will not overpower delicate orchids. Martagons, tiger lilies and species lilies match orchids for their exotic appeal -- many species lilies grow in similar warm woodland conditions -- but are unreliable garden flowers in all but the southern parts of the United States.

Orchids

• Orchids require the singular growing conditions of the tropical rainforest and, when raised in other climate zones, live in greenhouses. Some orchids thrive as indoor plants. Large, multiflowered cymbidium orchids provide pastel mass to arrangements. Dendrobium’s lush little blossoms on long stems provide mass and vertical or horizontal line. Vanda Mokara, a Southeast Asian hybrid, similar in appearance to Dendrobrium, comes in surprisingly bright shades. The Oncidium flutters a bright petal above a striped flower and blooms in groups along twisting stems.

Companion Flowers

• Lilies and orchids both perform well as cut flowers, lasting from one to two weeks with proper care. Choose companion flowers that stand up as well. Peruvian Lily is not a lily at all but tuberous alstroemeria, which more closely resembles the orchid. Blue flowers such as limonium, sea holly, true lavender and purple or white liatris provide contrast for pastels. Button, other small-flowered cushion mums and asters come in many colors and provide politely inconspicuous filler. Balloon flowers and bellflowers mimic lily and orchid forms. Astilbe provides feathery filler in a variety of colors.

Other Options

• Lilies or orchids each make commanding arrangements by themselves. Together, they stand out with only some green filler to provide a lush background. Tree, leather leaf and plumosa ferns provide simple backgrounds. Lily grass or bells of Ireland enhance vertical arrangements. Alchemilla, an easy-to-grow perennial, complements arrangements with tiny masses of light green flowers. Keep additions, whether flowers or greens, simple and limited in variety to allow the lilies and orchids to provide the pizzazz in your arrangement.