True lily

MANY PLANTS ARE CALLED LILIES BUT IT’S THE MEMBERS OF THE GENUS LILIUM THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL

- Jennifer Stackhouse

ALTHOUGH TALL LILIUMS MAKE A BOLD GARDEN STATEMENT, THERE ARE SMALLER-GROWING VARIETIES THAT WORK WELL IN POTS.

There is nothing as exotic as liliums, which are star plants in summer gardens due to their tall stems, large trumpet flowers and wonderful perfume.

I grow many liliums in my garden and particularly enjoy the way the white and light-pink varieties seem to glow, especially on moonlit nights.

Use them in clumps as accents through the summer garden. They particularly suit herbaceous borders and fit in well within a cottage-style garden or set among roses, but they can also be an elegant addition to even a minimalist garden.

The tall varieties can be 1.5m–2m high and seem to get taller as the bulbs become better established. Several plants in my garden tower above head height.

Where space is tight, liliums can also be grown in containers. Although tall liliums make a bold garden statement, there are smaller-growing varieties that work well in pots.

However, if you still want the impact of the tall forms, simply choose a deep, heavy container (such as a terracotta pot) for stability and enjoy these magnificent plants anywhere in the garden or even briefly indoors.

TYPES OF LILIUMS

In summer, liliums are sold at garden centres in pots in flower as well as at summer lilium shows. Scan local noticeboards as there’s bound to be a show over summer to introduce the dazzling world of liliums.

The trumpet-shaped flowers of liliums come in white, pink, red, yellow and orange. Adding to their appeal, the petals are often spotted, freckled or striped with other colours and many are fragrant.