Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Gardening A to Z: L is for Lilies

[All photographs in this post are copyright Andrea Coventry]


I think my lilies are my most prized possession in my yard. I have so many different varieties. I love the way they smell. I love the way they look. There are so many different colors available. They always make me think of summer.

When I was a kid, my dad had tiger lilies growing in the yard, around the plot where our annual wading pool would go. I love the way they fold back and are so speckled.


We also had a lot of daylilies in the yard. I have noticed that most people like to have the traditional yellow ones. I prefer coming up with as many colors and petals as I can.





Asiatic lilies were also an early staple in my gardens. I like the shape of them and am fascinated by their stalks and leaves. Unfortunately, this one kind that those stupid beetles like to eat.


Oriental lilies are similar in appearance to the asiatic lilies, except they are much taller and often have multiple blooms on one stalk. I have Stargazers, which are white and pink, but my white ones are my favorite. They grow as tall as me.


A couple of years ago, I discovered the joys of trumpet lilies. They grow even higher than my Orientals, have a greater blend of color in the blooms, and are the most fragrant that I have found. Again, those stupid beetles are killing them off and it makes me sad. These are not inexpensive plants.


Other kinds of lilies do exist. I have tried Calla lilies, but they require a great deal of care and didn't do well. I hope I can bring all of these back and then add some more later.

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