Lilies

"And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Matthew 6:28,29 NIV

   Lilies are a versatile and beautiful addition to the perennial border.  They provide a medium to tall backdrop for other flowers, multiply annually, and come in a vast array of colors.  Most are winter hardy, and so far I have not had any pests or diseases troubling the lilies in my garden.  Purchase high quality bulbs and select a well-drained site, and you're well on your way to enjoying years of no-fail bloom.
      Lilies have much to recommend them to the gardener.  There are early, mid, and late season varieties which will provide a constant display of beauty.  Day lilies are excellent for preventing soil erosion.  Some oriental lilies are so tall that they blend well with hollyhocks, delphinium, and foxglove at the back of the border.  Asiatic lilies fill in the middle lavishly with their prolific bloom.  Several varieties of lilies sport charming "freckles" on their flower faces.  Above all, lilies are easy to care for.  Basically, you just plant them and enjoy them-- no hassles!

Basic guidelines for planting and caring for lilies are as follows:

- Site them in well-drained soil

- Plant them no deeper than three times their diameter.

- After blooming is finished, let lily foliage turn brown and fall away before removing     it from the garden.  This returns strength to the bulb for next year's flowers.

- Divide lily clumps every 3 to 5 years. 

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Copyright (C) J. Kovalcsik 1999