Lilium

One of my very favorite flowers – I was so happy to discover, that – despite their elegant looks – lilies will work in my garden!

Lilium Regale

Lilium regale is reputed to be an easy-to-grow lily because it is very robust and tolerates most soils, as long as they are well-draining. In June/July each bulb produces several large, extremely fragrant flowers in white with a yellow middle and purple-pink tones on the outside.

Lilium Regale African Queen

African Queen is also a robust lily that has grown and flowered wherever it was planted in the garden. In May/June it produces beautiful golden-orange trumpet flowers with a very good scent.

General Stuff About Lilies

X marks the spot

Lilies can take until April to show any growth. Therefore it’s a good idea to mark the spot in order to avoid harming the bulbs accidentally.

Scarlet Lily Beetles

During their vegetative period it’s also necessary to be on the lookout for Scarlet Lily Beetles, whose larvae can completely destroy an entire plant. The beetles (and larvae) need to be removed and killed manually. The red beetles are easy to spot but you have to be very quick in catching them because they let themselves drop to the ground when they feel in danger.

Type of Soil

Lilies like a well-drained soil. Most lilies prefer acidic soil (which is probably why the Lilium Orientale I planted never showed up). Lilium regale varieties tolerate chalk well. So do Lilium martagon and Lilium candidum, both of which are also pretty tolerant of dry soil.