Lilies are a stunning addition to any summer garden, with their colorful, star-shaped flowers adding a touch of star power. However, if you live in an area with harsh winters, these perennial beauties require some extra care in the fall. To learn more about growing lilies, check out our comprehensive guide.
Lilies can add an air of graceful elegance and a delightful fragrance to any garden. Depending on the type, they bloom from early summer through to autumn. By carefully selecting a mix of early, mid-season, and late varieties, you can enjoy their magnificent blooms from spring until the first frost. Lilies are at home in both formal and naturalistic settings and are easy to grow in containers. Additionally, they make fantastic cut flowers!
Lilies typically have six simple or strikingly marked petals and are often trumpet-shaped, sitting atop a tall, upright stem with narrow, long, lance-shaped leaves. They are available in many beautiful colors, including pink, gold, red, orange, and white.
There are several popular lily species, such as Orientals, Asiatics, Orientals, and species. To create a sequence of lilies in your garden, keep in mind that Asians generally bloom first, followed by Oriental varieties and then Oriental varieties.
Asiatic lilies (Lilium sp. – “Asiatic hybrids”) bloom in early summer, usually in May or June, right after peonies. They are not fussy plants and thrive in well-drained soil. They are the shortest type of lilies, growing to about 2 to 3 feet tall, and come in many colors, from pastels to tropicals. Although they don’t have much of a scent, they add bright color to the garden.
Daffodils (Lilium longifolium) are primarily grown indoors as a holiday plant. As their name suggests, they are forced to flower around Easter, in March or April. Outdoors, they are better suited to warmer regions of North America, where they can be planted in the garden after flowering has finished.
Oriental lilies (Lilium sp. – “Oriental hybrids”) are tall and stately, growing up to 4 feet in height, and have a strong fragrance. They tend to grow more slowly than other types of lilies and often bloom around the time Asiatic lilies fade, which is in mid to late summer.
Trumpet lilies (Lilium sp. – “Trumpet hybrids”) resemble Oriental lilies and produce many flowers with a pleasant fragrance. Their flowers tend to be smaller and more closed, resembling a trumpet.
There are many other types of lilies available, such as tiger lilies (Lilium henryi) and Turkish lilies (Lilium superbum), as well as hybrids like “Orienpet” (Oriental + trumpet) and “LA” lilies (Easter + Asiatic). To find your favorite variety, browse through gardening catalogs online.
