Liz Mattingly, the owner and lead designer of Deephaven’s Lilia Flower Boutique, dreamed about finding a way to combine her love for plants with her desire to connect people with nature.
The idea for Lilia began in 2011, after Mattingly completed her degree in conservation biology and horticulture, and experienced the world of floral design. When the opportunity arose to open her own shop in Wayzata, she jumped in with both feet. “In the true essence of winging it, I sold my Saab. I used that to purchase staging pieces, my first month’s rent and, of course, fresh flowers for the day I opened,” Mattingly says.
After spending three years in Wayzata, Mattingly moved her store to Long Lake, where the shop continued to grow in popularity. Lilia was booked solid for every wedding season, created arrangements for events, and received daily floral orders, too. Even so, Mattingly’s long-term goal was to open a retail space, which her current workshop couldn’t accomodate. During a delivery in Deephaven last summer, Mattingly saw the perfect storefront. She remodeled and opened in December.
“I had enough space for retail, so we expanded beyond flowers to carry home goods, antiques, natural world elements, like corals and petrified wood, old books, art and indoor plants,” Mattingly says.
Lilia prioritizes using local and organic sources, including local farmers markets, for the everyday flower purchaser. Mattingly personally chooses the flowers for the shop each week and includes a unique wow-factor, like adorable mini pineapples, in every arrangement.
Spring is the perfect time at Lilia to explore new flower trends, and Mattingly’s favorite this year is the use of tree blossoms like apple, magnolia and spiraea. “There is nothing quite as elegant and beautiful as a glass vase filled to the brim with a single variety of spring blooms,” she says.
