As we approach Easter, pots of fragrant, pure white Easter lilies are being offered for sale. They're lovely plants to give or to receive, and one of the nicest things about them is their tendency to flower again in fall.
This can happen in coastal gardens if they're fed after blooming and planted deeply outside in a warm and very sheltered spot.
A surer plan is to plant the Easter lily in a larger pot and treat it as a patio plant which is brought in during the winter.
There are a few hybrids between the Easter lily and Asiatic lilies. These are generally strong-stemmed and hardy outside in south-west B.C. One of these, called courier, is reputed to be exceptionally vigorous.
It's the Asiatic lilies that flower earliest, usually in June, with starry flowers that face upwards and have little discernible fragrance.
The double ones, which include the beautiful candy-pink elodie are pollen-free.
Container gardeners would like the compact series of Asiatic lilies, which have heights ranging from 35 to 50 centimetres.
One of these "tiny double you" is a standout with its fiery orange petals.
Another variation in Asiatics are the tango lilies, where petals are covered with heavy spotting.
One of the most popular lilies of all time is the usually white-flowered regale lily, which originates from dry cliffs in western China, where it's bitterly cold and windswept in winter and hot and humid in summer.
Regales are easy from seed. Gardeners who experiment with letting a seed head dry in place and scattering the contents can produce many seedling lilies.
The oriental lilies are among the most spectacular with enormous trumpets, which can perfume a whole garden. Some can stretch 1.75 metres tall. Two of the most popular are the white Casablanca and the red and white stargazer.
The similar aurel-ian trumpet hybrids can grow to about two metres and produce flowers that include white, cream, gold or pink.
A lily once reputed to have healing powers is the madonna lily (Lillium candidum), which is pure white, tall, and needs to be planted shallowly in fall. Leaves of this lime-lover were once placed upon burns to heal them.
Tiger lilies were also once believed to be a useful medicine and food. These can be propagated by planting the bulbils, which form between leaves and stem.
Unlike other lilies, the martagons (Turks cap lilies) are shade-tolerant and somewhat moisture-tolerant. When grown in wet climates, they thrive under trees with thirsty roots, which ensure the lilies have relatively good drainage. Martagons make large clumps over the years.
Lilies need to be planted immediately when bought because bulbs dry out fast. They need good drainage (a raised bed in clay gardens) and rich feeding with bone meal, compost or balanced fertilizer. Mulching helps conserve moisture.
Most lilies emerge very late in spring. Marking the spot where you plant them avoids sad accidents.
News flash: The Alpine Garden Club spring show and sale takes place noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6 in the VanDusen Garden Floral Hall, 5251 Oak St., (at 37th Avenue), Vancouver. Admission is free. Sales are cash or cheque only.
Offerings will include choice alpines, woodlanders, shrubs, trees and perennials from club members and some small B.C. nurseries.
Anne Marrison is happy to answer garden questions. Send them to her via amar [email protected].
