For years I adored them from afar, convinced their patrician beauty was beyond attainment for lack of skill and the price. Yet I could never resist poring over pictures of their great white or golden or freckled orange trumpets or reading articles on their culture. Even books. Some authorities made raising lilies appear extremely difficult … Read more
There is something about the sweetly scented lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) that breathes spring. Put a pot of them in full bloom on the table at Christmas time, and the snow disappears, and the cold winds seem to fade to a gentle breeze. You can almost feel the rich, crumbling soil between your … Read more
Would you like to grow a tuberous rooted plant native to Indochina in your window garden or greenhouse? Hydrosme (he-DROSme) is a member of the arum family and sits on a family tree with the calla lily, jack-in-the-pulpit, skunk cabbage, and many other familiar plants. Hydrosme Rivieri Hydrosme rivieri (sometimes listed as Amorphophallus rivieri) is … Read more
As lilies become more beautiful, they become tougher also. This happy situation puts them in the front running for flower popularity in the near future. As soon as gardeners discover that these glamorous flowers are also vigorous (hardy to cold, heat- and disease-resistant), prolific, and able to withstand neglect, the lily stock is bound to … Read more
This interesting plant of the iris family (Iridaceae) has been known variously as Belamcanda punctata, Gemmingia chinensis, Pardanthus chinensis, and sinensis. Belamcanda is an East Indian name, possibly meaning leopard flower, which is the significance of Pardanthus, referring to the spotted character of the flower segments. It is not commonly listed in nursery catalogs and, … Read more
We don’t know what kind of garden Kipling had in mind when he wrote, “Such gardens are not made by saying, oh, how beautiful, and sitting in the shade,” but it may have been a continuous-blooming garden or border that flowers from spring to fall. The continuous-blooming garden is the aim of more garden lovers … Read more
When planting your new lilies in the garden this fall, whether you’re putting in a few or several hundred, don’t sell them short! Use them where they will be most effective, where their regal beauty will accent, contrast or complement their garden companions. And plant them properly so that the bulbs will not be forced … Read more
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
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