Thursday, May 27, 2010

Lilies



The weather has been schizophrenic of late. It’s been hot, then cold and rainy, windy then dry and hot again. It is always such a treat to experience the entire spectrum of weather conditions available in Western Oklahoma regardless of the season.

The lilies are in full bloom everywhere. The varieties available now are truly spectacular and come in ranges of color and form that far exceed the traditional white Easter lily of your Grandmother’s garden. Hybridization has given us a memorable gift with the improvements. The lily is of the largest and most important plant families, dating back as far as botanical recordings. Of the 2,000 species, there are 12 which are native to North America. The Meadow Lily, the Southern Red Lily, the Leopard Lily, the Wood Lily, and Sierra Lily all grow within the bounds of our nation in shaded woodland settings. The trumpet-shaped blooms made up of six parts, are held upright on sturdy stems. The roots of the lily spread from the central bulb and form new bulbs, making them a perfect naturalized species if allowed enough room to travel.

The Chinese and Japanese lilies have spectacular form and scent and bring elegance to the early summer garden. The flowers come in a full spectrum of color and shape, some with nodding heads, some upright, and others with the lovely turkscap form of recurving leaves. Among these jewels are the Stargazer, Amber Gold, Black Magic and the lovely L. martagon with its back-curved pinkish blooms. Lilies make lovely cut flowers in an arrangement and will fill the room with their spicy aroma.

The plants which we call water Lilies are not of the lily family at all, but are of a genus unto themselves. They too are in full bloom in water gardens everywhere. They project a serene classic beauty with their deep green and glossy plate like foliage and ethereal blossoms floating on the water. Their leaves provide shelter for fish and help reduce the spread of algae in the pond. Watching and waiting for the blooms of water lilies to open is always exciting and thrilling for the gardener who has cultivated these lovely plants.

2 comments:

  1. I love the lilies! Peggy paints the lilies.
    Right now we have the Star Gazer, Tiger, and Casablanca budding. Where does Day lilies fall
    in the genus of plants world?

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  2. Wish I coulda helped on this....
    Lotsa peeps have been writing to me with questions...
    questions like how do you keep them blooming, pest issues... non blooming issues...
    Haven't gotten around to adding a FAQ section to my tigerlily page yet, coulda started sending peeps here...

    ReplyDelete