The golden-rayed lily of Japan, Lilium auratum, has been justly called the queen of lilies. It is regally tall and graceful, and its deliciously fragrant, waxy-white flowers have broad golden bands flecked with crimson running down the center of the petals. Hybrids of Lilies In some of the hybrids, the bands themselves are crimson and … Read more
Why be content with only two weeks of tulips when you can enjoy their wonderful flowers for two months? It is all a matter of selecting the right types and varieties; even if you are a greenhorn gardener, your catalogs can help you do this if you give them a chance. The trick is learning … Read more
Can one date beauty or plants just when they are ready to take their rightful place in the garden world? We can in the case of lilies. These lovely, hardy, easy-to-grow plants have come a long way from the species collected in the wild. However, they have had a difficult transition period. Finally, they have … Read more
Inscriptions of lilies have been found on vases and Assyrian monuments dating back to 1300 B.C. until recent years. Unfortunately, hybridizers have all but completely overlooked the lilies. History tells us that as early as 1535, our native meadow lily (Lilium canadense) was imported to England. For many years lilies were dug and shipped from … Read more
If you consider the lily season practically over when Madonna’s wither in June, and regals shed their last petals in July, you may be amazed at the list of satisfying and beautiful August blooming lilies. Of course, the weather has a way of fouling up things—not only family picnics and state fairs but also a … Read more
Oriental poppies are one of our hardiest and most colorful perennials. So many clumps 20 years old are still giving brilliance to gardens each spring. Unfortunately, many gardeners consider them hard to grow because losses have resulted from spring planting or planting pot-grown plants with poor root systems. Lack of good drainage (necessary) accounts for … Read more
Are you hesitant about growing lilies in our Mid-American climate, where drought, 100° degrees Fahrenheit, and high winds characterize most summers? You needn’t be, for some lilies, “toughies” on my list, will grow for you as easily as petunias. There is no pampering in my acclimatization garden, where I have tested plants for nursery workers … Read more
Like to try your hand at lily hybridizing? Here’s how. Select the flower to be pollinated and remove the anthers or pollen-producing male organs before any pollen has been shed. Since lilies usually do not shed pollen until they start to open, it is advisable to choose buds that will open the next day and … Read more
Are you looking for a “sure thing” in summer flowers? Or does a plant that challenges your ingenuity to make it grow to have more appeal? You’ll find both among the native lilies of eastern North America. About a third, or eight, of the lilies native to this continent, are found growing naturally in the … Read more
We, gardeners, are human. We want to sway in the hammock when hot days come and watch the garden bloom. No flowers are better suited to this resistance to work than the wildflowers that arrive at their peak of beauty in the summer sun. Every color of the rainbow, every form and fragrance can be … Read more