July 06, 2008

Gazing at the Stars

Lilium ‘Star Gazer’

Sound the trumpet; bang the drum: the grand old lady of the summer garden is in bloom. And what glorious flower deserves such an introduction? None other than the stargazer lily, an oriental hybrid, Lilium ‘Stargazer’. The 3 to 3 ½ foot stem is topped with rose colored flowers with darker rose colored spots and the blooms are edged with white. ‘Stargazer’ has a delightful fragrance; its only downside as far as I can see is that the pollen can stain clothing or whatever it touches. Mine in my 7B/8A garden just started blooming and will continue to bloom for several weeks.

Although ‘Stargazer’ can steal the thunder in the garden right now, ‘Casablanca’, another oriental hybrid with pure white flowers, makes a stellar companion. Asiatic hybrid lilies also make a very easy to grow beautiful flower for the landscape. Asiatic lilies tend to bloom a bit earlier than oriental lilies and come in a wonderful range of colors.

Oriental lilies are not difficult to grow, but as do all plants, they also need the “right place” and “the right care.” Once those two are provided, they are a long-lived addition to the garden (providing the voles don’t eat the bulbs). Like most flowers, lilies prefer well drained, loose deep fertile soil. Before you plant, add lots of nice rich organic soil to your bed. Lilies need water all year; you can give your lilies less water when the foliage has turned brown or is completely out of sight, but if your fall and winter are very dry, water them just as you would other landscape plants.  ‘Stargazer’ does need staking,  possibly as it grows, instead of waiting until it is falling over and in bloom to stake. Lilies do better in filtered sun, light shade, or afternoon shade. They are also plants who love cool feet and warm heads so plant among a low growing ground cover. Like most plants, lilies do like to be mulched to help save moisture and keep the soil cool. When the plants have come up, give them a dose of bulb fertilizer. Like other bulbs, planting depth will depend on the size of the bulb. Unlike bulbs such as daffodils and tulips, it is better not to plant them too deep (most bulbs from reputable nurseries will come with planting directions). Space lily bulbs anywhere from six inches to a foot apart. The nice thing about lilies is that you can tuck them in anywhere in your garden. If you must move them, do so when the foliage and the stems have turned yellow, usually fall; however lilies can also be moved in spring. I have read that the deer are fond of the buds so a spritz on the buds/blooms with some deer repellant can’t hurt. Just like daffodils and tulips please leave the foliage alone while it dies back and turns yellow and remove when completely dead.

Lilies make good container plants, especially if you have creatures who may burrow and eat the bulb.  If your winter gets really really cold, the containers will need some protection from the winter temperatures.

If you don’t have lilies in your garden, it is high time to get some! White Flower Farm and Brent and Becky’s Bulbs have some of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen. If I gave you only one piece of gardening advice, it would be: plant lilies – and then plant some more. Prepare to be intoxicated by their beauty and their fragrance. Until you have stargazer lilies in your garden, your garden is not complete.

“The Southern Living Garden Book” was used as a resource for this blog.