Flowers

Lilies can be planted in rich, welldrained, limefree soil, giving the bulbs a chance to settle down before winter. Lilium regale is popular in home gardens, being easy to grow and less sensitive to soils containing lime.

Most tolerant of lime is the madonna lily (Lilium candidum). The other main difference is that madonna lilies, which have no dormant period, should be planted in a hot, dry spot with a third of the bulb above the soil.

Other lilies need plenty of leaf mould or peat to maintain the acidity in which they thrive.

Most lilies like to have shade over their roots and look good beside azaleas,