A blooming great idea to grow lilies
Normally, you’d plant lilies in autumn when the soil is still warm, but sometimes the job doesn’t get done.
Don’t despair – it’s still possible to have fantastically-fragrant lilies blooming beautifully in your garden this summer.
Even if the January soil is too wet or too frozen, there are still pots – containers that can be filled with plump lily bulbs to bloom indoors when there is still little life outdoors.
Nowadays, the majority of lilies are grown in this way because the gardener can provide them with the ideal conditions – a well-drained, fertile soil and a sunny position. They will flower earlier than those lilies grown in open ground, but they will require more care and attention. Always try to plant the bulbs as soon as you get them, incorporating plenty of wellrotted leafmould or manure, a helping of coarse sand to improve drainage, and bone meal.
Use crocks (pieces of broken clay plant pots, not the fashion footwear) to cover the holes at the base of the pot, then plant the bulbs three or even four inches below the soil/compost (peat-free, multi-purpose compost is ideal). Water well and stand the pot(s) in a light spot.
After a few weeks fresh growth will appear and you should have fragrant flowers in late spring. When the lilies have finished flowering, pop the pots into a cool greenhouse where they can be kept dry until it’s time to bring them out again the following year. Lift them gently, renew the compost and the cycle begins again.
After a couple of years of this treatment, plant the bulbs in the open garden.
The most important thing to remember about lilies is that they look their best when they’re not alone. These thrive in the company of other lilies, so grow them in groups, and if they can be left undisturbed in a border, they will show their gratitude by increasing in number to form colourful clumps which will annually steal the show.