Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 (edited) Some friends bought me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers - lillies and pink roses - last week. They look lovely but I can't stand the smell the lillies give off . They are described as having a "delicious fragrance" . Is it just me or do other people hate the smell? I'm contemplating having to throw them out which is such a shame as they look lovely . http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://roses.toytrains1.com/images/Other_Garden/lily-2005-06.jpg&imgrefurl=http://roses.toytrains1.com/oriental_lilies.htm&h=427&w=640&sz=37&hl=en&start=2&um=1&usg=__US4IqAAZzeoboSrsntesjyuL7Ds=&tbnid=m0v7Z_UOo7s3mM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlily%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7ADBS%26sa%3DN Edited September 20, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I love the smell of them, I had a bunch I've just thrown out (stargazer lillies) that my mum gave me and they lasted well over 2 weeks. They make the whole house smell lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I'm with Chelsea on this. I absolutely adore the smell of lillies. My favourite flowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I too love the smell of them but they can be a little 'heady' to some people. I would move them to a different room or give them away rather than throw them as that would be such a shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omletina Kyckling Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Oooh, I love the smell of lillies too, it is overpowering though so if you're not a fan, you can't really escape them in a room!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 As a keen gardener I should know the answer to my own question but would cutting the pollen off help? anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I find them a bit overpowering too. Shame because they are lovely to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 We have Stargazer lilies in the garden where they smell lovely but I can't bear strongly scented flowers (or perfumes) in the house though so I can understand how you feel ANH. Emma's idea of putting them in a room you don't use so much sounds good as it's a shame to miss out on having such lovely flowers around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 I thought I was just weird until I read some more of your replies . I can "taste" the smell at the back of my throat. It's so strong and pungent and it's just not nice or flowery (my OH agrees ). I have cut the pollen off once before when I was given the same flowers - mainly because if it falls off, it stains things . Can't remember if that solved the smell or not - I'll try it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Cutting the pollen off will stop it from staining anything anyway if you happen to brush against the flowers so it's a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I love them OH hates them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I also love them - but they give my friend a migraine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 They are too overpowering for me too. I prefer the smell of sweet peas in the house. Lillies always make me think of funerals Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I am with you Vicki - love the look of lilies but find the odour a little off putting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I think that it depends on the type of lillies. I love the smell of the whilte Longiforum lillies you get. When we were selling our last house I always had flowers on the front windowsill (It made such a huge difference to the room) and we bought a bunch of lillies which I actually had to give away as the smell was so overpowering that we thought it might put people off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I love to look at them but they give me a headache and I have to have them in a room I'm not using much - way too strong a perfume for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Can't stand lilies - I hate the perfume, and they make me think of funerals. Afraid that if someone brought me lilies, they'd be in the bin the minute they'd left the house! I don't really do cut flowers anyway - only garden ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I'm another who really dislikes lillies, far too strong smelling, don't like the way the pollen stains things so easily, don't even like the look of them and they're just too funereal . I'd never, ever buy or grow them for myself, and on the rare occasions I'm given them I pop them in the spare room where I can't see them . What an ungrateful person I am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I like them to look at , dislike the worry that they will stain (and have done) but absolutely hate the smell, they actually make me feel headachy and sick. strong smells have that effect on me, i prefer subtle fragrances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 The smell makes me feel The same as Hyacinths. I can't buy either of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I find them overpowering too, plus they affect my asthma. I won't have them in the house or garden because of the cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruth1 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I love lillies but the smell gives me headaches and makes me sneeze, my Oh thinks i'm a lily diviner as sometimes when you walk into somewhere I'll say there's lillies here somewhere i can smell them. Also because the pollen is poisonous to cats I dont put them in the garden now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 ...Also because the pollen is poisonous to cats I dont put them in the garden now. I didn't know that! Yet another reason not to have them. I used to love hyacinths but can't bear them; there were some on the windowsill of my mother's room when she died, and just the smell of them upsets me now. I am however potting some up to give away as Christmas presents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 ...Also because the pollen is poisonous to cats I dont put them in the garden now. I didn't know that! Yet another reason not to have them. OMG I didn't know either!! I've got loads of them in the garden and 6 cats I've just read about it on the cats protection website. Flipping heck http://www.cats.org.uk/catcare/faq_health.asp#0 http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/News/NewsArchive&articleid=1115280258929&newsmode=normal&marker=91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 My friend lost both his cats in one night to a bunch of lillies, they had only brushed passed them then licked the pollen when grooming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
