True lilies often are absent from suburban flower gardens
Q. I'm looking for a unique flowering perennial with dramatic blooms in the summer. Any suggestions?
A. The summer perennial garden bed seems to have more than its fair share of daisylike flowers. I commend you for seeking something different that is absent from many flower gardens. I personally enjoy true lilies (genus Lilium).
I've planted my fair share of day lilies but I find true lilies are more refined and sophisticated. They are easy to grow bulbs that steal the show wherever they are planted - big exotic blooms, amazing colors and wonderful fragrance. There are several types of lilies and each has its own look and bloom time. By planting an assortment of different lilies, you can enjoy these beautiful flowers all summer.
Most lilies perform best in full sun, although they will tolerate some shade but with maybe fewer blooms. They are hardy in our Zone 5 gardens. Plant them in a well-drained location 6 to 8 inches deep depending on variety with a handful of compost in each hole.
Be careful not to damage the bulb and water to settle the soil. Dormant bulbs prefer drier soil so don't water again until they start to grow. If in the right location, they will multiply over time. They don't mind being crowded and seldom need dividing.
As the blooms fade, remove the spent blooms but keep the stem intact until it turns yellow because the leaves manufacture energy to rebuild the bulbs for next year. They are a narrow, upright plant so they don't take a lot of room.
Asiatic lilies start the show with 4-inch-tall stems that bloom in June. Martagon lilies also bloom in June and actually prefer part shade. Next are LA (longiflorum Asiatic) hybrids that are a cross between Easter lilies and Asiatics and bloom in early July. Chinese Trumpet and Oriental-Asiatic (OA) hybrids lilies follow in mid-July and grow 4 to 6 inches tall. The grand finale comes from Oriental and Oriental-Trumpet (OT or Orienpet) hybrid lilies that bloom in August.
As you can see, there are many choices that can help spice up the summer garden. Look for them at your garden center or mail order catalog and plant as soon as you receive them.
- Pete Landwehr
• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 on Wednesdays or email northcookmg@gmail.com. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mg.