How to Create a Calla Lily Centerpiece

Calla lilies are an elegant flower that really need nothing more than a beautiful vase to show them off. If you’d like to do something a little more sophisticated, create a calla lily centerpiece with roses and gerbera daisies. The calla lilies command attention since they’re in the center of this bouquet. An all-white bouquet is stunning for a wedding. Keep in mind calla lilies come in a variety of colors in addition to white.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Bucket
• Ice water
• Scissors
• Tall vase
• Household bleach
• Measuring spoons
• Paper towels
• Glass pebbles or marbles, clear
• Gerbera daisies, 12
• Roses, 12
• Calla lilies, 12
• Greenery, 12 stems

1. Condition the flowers. Fill a bucket with ice water. Remove the leaves from the stems of the flowers. Make a 45-degree angled cut on each flower stem and immediately put in the ice water. Let the flowers rest 60 minutes.
2. Wash out the vase with a solution of 1 tsp. of household bleach to 1 gallon of water. Rinse well. Dry the outside of the vase so it doesn’t water spot. Fill the vase with 3 inches of ice water.
3. Cut the stems of the daisies so the flowers rise above the rim of the vase by about 4 inches. Place the daisies around the rim. It is OK if they lean on the rim. Slide a 1-inch layer of marbles down into the vase. Push the daisy stems away from the edge as you’re sliding in the marbles. The marbles will hold the stems in place.
4. Cut the stems of the roses so the flowers rise about 2 inches above the daisies. As the roses open, they’ll fill in the gap between themselves and the daisies. Stand the roses on the counter next to the vase to get an idea of where to cut the stems. Exactly how much longer the stems need to be depends on both the size of the daises and the roses.
5. Place the roses inside the circle of daisies. Leave an opening in the middle of the roses for the calla lilies. Slide a 1-inch layer of marbles into the vase to hold the rose stems in place.
6. Cut the stems of the calla lilies so the flowers rise 2 inches above the roses. Place the calla lilies inside the circle of roses. The roses should hold the calla lilies in place, so you won’t need any additional marbles.
7. Make a ruffle around the edges of the flowers between the rim of the vase and the gerbera daisies using the greenery.
8. Fill the vase to within a few inches of the top with additional ice water.

Tips & Warnings

• Change the water every day to keep the flowers fresher.

• If you use a narrow vase, you won’t need the marbles to help keep the stems in place.