Oriental Lilies - How to Grow Exotic Lily Flowers From Bulbs
SEASONAL TIPS
Early Spring - Feed Your Lily Plants
Scatter an all purpose organic fertilizer such as bone-meal or growmore arond the
base of plants as the lily shoots appear from the soil
Summer -
Mulch
Mulch Lily Plants with well composted bark. This will help to keep roots
Water lily plants regularly during the summer months - do not allow the soil to
dry out.
Autumn- Plant Bulbs
Autumn is the time to plant bulbs as soon as you buy them from your local garden
centre, online from a specialist bulb supplier or even online from Amazon.
COLOURS AND VARIETIES OF ORIENTAL LILY
The blooms of all varieties of the lily plant can be star or bowl shaped, and alway have an exotic, showy appearance.
Lilies come in many colours from White, through pale pinks, bright yellows to dark vivid reds.
PLANT SOCIETIES
ORIENTAL LILY (LILIUM).
Lily
flowers provide a fantastic focal point in any garden with
their tall, exotic blooms in a stunning range of colours.
In addition to their beautiful flowers most oriental lilies have a strong, almost spicy perfume.
A great many plants which are popularly called lilies, e.g., African Lily, Arum Lily, Belladonna Lily, are not really lilies at all.
WHEN AND WHERE TO PLANT ORIENTAL LILIES?
Lilies prefer to grow in full sun in well drained soil. They will not thrive in boggy ground, but they do need to be well watered during the summer.
All lily plants have bulbous roots and all can be planted in autumn, though some experts prefer to move them in early spring when they are already growing.
This
is really only practicable when plants are being moved from one part of
the garden to another, as bulbs are usually only offered for sale in garden
centres in autumn.
Most lilies like to have their flowers and leaves in the sun, but their roots in the shade. This can be arranged by planting them among low-growing shrubs or leafy plants such as evergreen azaleas or peonies. The majority like deep soils with plenty of leaf-mould or peat and few like really chalky soils, but there are exceptions to this, notably the Scarlet Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium chalcedonicurn).
PLANT LILIES IN SUNNY BORDERS
The oriental lily is a very distinctive plant which attracts attention, so choose a focal point in the garden to plant your lily bulbs. A sunny flower border where they can attract attention is an ideal place to plant your lilies.
They can also be planted in a shrub border to bring colour in summer when spring flowering shrubs have faded.
Plant a group of lilies in a tub to grow on a patio or decking to create a perfumed haven!
HOW TO PLANT LILIES?
Prepare the soil well by
incorporating pleanty of organic matter such as home made or commercial
garden compost.
Dig a hole and add a handful of bonemeal.
Place the lily bulb pointed end up, with the roots of the bulb spread out. The tip of the lily bulb should sit 8 - 10 centimetres below the surface level.
Cover the bulb with soil and firm in well and water. It can help to cover with a layer of mulch such as well composted bark.
CARE OF GROWING LILIES
Stake tall lilies to support them and protect them from strong winds.
Keep a look out for red lily beetles which can attack the leaves!
TENDER AND HARDY LILY VARIETIES
From the cultural standpoint lilies may be divided into hardy and slightly tender varieties.
The hardy lilies can all be grown outdoors, but the slightly tender varieties are bettet treated as cool greenhouse plants except in the mildest parts of the country.
The most important of these greenhouse kinds is the Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) with long, white trumpet. flowers in spring. The bulbs should be planted low down in pots, oneto a pot, and should be reported each year in October.
The hardy lilies should almost all be planted so that the bulbs are covered with about twice their own depth of soil - A 4 cm deep bulb will need a 12 cm deep hole.
One notable exception to this is the popular white Madonna Lily (L. candidum) which should be barely covered with soil and will, after a while, work itself out so that the top of the bulb is exposed.
This lily is also exceptional in that it is best planted in August though it can be moved later.
EASY LILIES TO GROW IN YOUR GARDEN
One of the easiest of all lilies to grow is the Regal Lily (L. regale) with broad white trumpets On 4 ft. stems in July.
Others that can be grown in most gardens are the Orange Lily (L. croceum), with clusters of large, upward-pointing orange or yellow flowers in June and the Tiger Lily (L. rigrinum) with hanging clusters of orange, maroon-spotted flowers on tall stems in August.
USEFUL GARDENING ADVICE AND ARTICLES
How to grow Oriental Lilies - exotic perfumed and colourful flowers for focal points in your garden. Expert advice on planting and seasonal care and growing tips on growing a lily from bulbs.