Oriental lilies reign as royalty in my gardens. Many of the tiny, more modest flowers like violets, primroses and zinnias serve as their loyal and contented attendants, like ladies in waiting upon the queen. If you don’t already love these regal beauties, with flowers often larger than your hand, you may want to introduce yourself. They would appreciate a curtsey or dignified bow if you feel you can offer it.

These lilies always keep their royal word to provide jaw-droppingly large, colorful blooms in summer. Are these royal flowers finicky, needing pampering? No, like all bulbs, their powerhouse for growth is in their bulbs. April is a perfect month to plant summer blooming bulbs, including Oriental Lilies, in the United States and Canada.

For a tribute to lilies consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:28-29. “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Oriental lilies love well-drained soil in a sunny location, with a half-day to a full day of sun. They put on their biggest show of flowers in July and August; and by adding some Asian lilies which bloom a month earlier, you can have lilies from June to late August.

Lilies are attractive to hummingbirds, and are long lasting cut flowers. Be sure to leave a lot of the stalk on the plant when you cut the flower, because the stalk will provide energy for next year’s blooms, as it adds to the nutrition of the bulb. Because I love to leave flowers in the garden, partly for the bees and hummingbirds, I leave most flowers, but harvest a few blooms for indoor bouquets. Because the blooms are gigantic, often 7 to 10 inches across, one flower makes a dramatic display in a vase.

Oriental lilies grow on stalks three to five feet tall, in a wide array of colors, and some have an intoxicating fragrance. One variety, Tom Pouce, I consider a must have in my garden, not only for its pretty 8 inch across flowers of pink and yellow, but for its scent. I love the fragrance outside on my patio, where Tom lives in a container, but each year I cut one flower and put it in a vase in my kitchen. I warn my husband beforehand because the scent can be overpowering. Last year I brought a Tom Pouce flower to work, and people were wowed by it, but at the end of the day, a co-worker asked if I would take it home. I said yes, that was my plan!

If your garden, like mine, harbors gophers and soil that is not well-drained, plant Oriental lilies in containers. You can move them into sunny spots, keep them near your door when they are blooming, provide well-drained soil, and protect the lilies from the nefarious plots of gophers. If you live in severe winter areas, not in zones 3-8, you can easily protect the pots of lilies in winter by bringing them to an indoor shelter.

I am a big fan of my local plant nurseries, and when I see Oriental lily bulbs on sale, I buy some lilies there. For wider selections, many companies sell online and through print catalogs. Dizzy Lizzy is a flashy white with maroon star lily, blooming in July and August, and growing so tall (to 5 feet) that it may need to be staked. Two lilies that are worth looking for are Silk Road, with white flowers and crimson pink throats, and Scheherazade, parading its many deep red recurved flowers edged in gold shading into white margins, on stems reaching 8 feet tall on mature plants.

To extend the season with blooms in June and a fuller color palate, plant some Asiatic lilies. Cancun Lily is a tropical sun yellow with orange tips Asiatic lily that blooms in June and July, on stalks 40 inches tall, and is hardy in zones 3-8.

Consider Dwarf Oriental lilies, which are ideal for containers, although I also grow all my large lilies in containers. I recommend Jet Set, white with a few freckles or dots, 24 inches tall, blooming in June to August; Maru, rose red edged with white, and Miss America, pink and also 24 inches tall. This March I planted two Salmon Star (white with salmon star and bright freckles, 12 to 16 inches tall) in a container 30 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall, with a lavender Nemesia fruticans “Blue Bird” for some instant color.

Many companies sell these varieties including StargazerPerennialsCatalog.com, DutchBulbs.com and www.LilyGarden.com.

If you haven’t yet met Oriental lilies, dare to plant one, and they will show you that they are worthy of your love and devotion.

Photo of Oriental Lily is by Steve Karg, courtesy of Wikipedia.com. The photo is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License

Copyright © by Terra Hangen Share