Fragrance Not Included

I love fragrant flowers, so of course I love lilies. And they're bustin out all over, just smellin the garden up, oh it's heaven! One very special little lily is Lilium formosanum var. pricei, a dwarf and when grown from seed will flower in one year. I've done it plenty, so can speak from experience. The true Lilium formosanum is not dwarf and some call it weedy, with its seeding about (and I'm sure it won't flower in 1 year from seed). For me, the dwarf variety is just generous enough, I find one here or there, enough to flower and produce seed so that it will return and flower as a new generation. Which is the odd part, it's very short lived, note to self, you need the seeds for repeat performances. Lilium formosanum var. pricei has the look of an Easter lily or Lilium longiflorum, but the leaves are smaller and its habit is a bit more natural which is so nice mixed in with other perennials. At only 2 feet tall, it's also easy to manage, no big stalk to stare at as the leaves cure and feed the bulb. The seed pods are elongated and actually quite pretty, I leave them on to decorate the winter garden.

 Trumpet lilies have also started to flower. Top heavy, and often needing a stake, I use shrubbery to support them. In this case, I have Lilium 'Golden Splendor' coming through my Rhus 'Tiger Eye' and what a sight that is! 

Trumpet lilies give off a fragrance that is heaven! If I did have to stake them, it would be worth it.

I also have Lilium 'Royal Sunset' which is a hybrid  between L. longiflorum (Easter lily) and the Asiatic pool of lilies. In some cases, the fragrance of the Easter lily parent is  inherited by its off spring, in this case it's faint, but present. The glowing colors more than make up for any lack of smell, it's a gorgeous thing.

Another plant of note, unfortunately without fragrance, has returned as a perennial for 2 years. One of the miniature gladiolus, this one is Gladiolus 'Flevo Laguna'. Grown from corms, I never imagined it would be hardy.

 Oh, the garden is lovely this time of year.

 

Comments

[Carolyn]

Lovely lily photos, I can almost smell the fragrance.

[Donna Williamson]

Great photos, Karen. Very nice article.