Irresistible Lilies and I!

I just love this time of year when the lilies put on a show stopping parade!  The day lilies, tiger lilies, asiatic, scented, no matter what, are just stunning and form a graceful addition to any garden.   Believe it or not, they are pretty hardy and don’t really require much in the way of maintenance.  They’re  happy in well drained soil and require at least 6-7 hours of sunlight each day.  Fertilize them when you first see them put out shoots and deadhead if necessary.  If I had my way, I’d have a field full of lilies in every color and fragrance, they are definitely a wow factor!!

The beautiful photo you see below was an impulse purchase when I went to Walmart one day last summer.   I couldn’t resist these beauties, so I bought two pots and enjoyed these gorgeous and most unusual lilies till the last petal dropped.  When neighbors passed by, they admired and commented on their grace and elegance.  At that time I didn’t think they would surface again, so I thought I’d just leave them in the pots over the winter and abandoned them in a shaded area of the back porch.  Well, what a surprise as you can see, they survived and put on another stunning show.  I’ve decided to leave them in the pots for another year before I can find an area where they will be sure to get the much needed sun and drainage on the back patio.  The next few photos are from various gardens we’ve owned over the years.

Recently I was asked to judge the City  Garden Contest that our city puts on every June.  Naturally, I gravitated to some of the unusual lilies that I came upon.  With camera in hand I was on a mission to capture some that were rare and extraordinary!  Aren’t they just knockouts strutting their stuff?

Last but not least, let me present you with this alluring and heavily scented stunner!  This was taken a couple of years ago when I visited friends in Kent, England.  She’s quite the gardener and has the most amazing arrangement of everything she touches in her garden.  The perfume emanating from this beauty was intoxicating, she had a row of these, they were so top heavy, they had to be tied to the fence.  We sat outside on her patio on a beautiful day in July, listened to music, sipped on wine, and watched the sun set, all the while being aware of this gorgeousness right by my side.  

I hope you like lilies as much as I do, I just wish they had more blooming time in the garden.  Off to pamper my lilies now and perhaps buy some more scented orientals, one can never have enough  :).

I’m bringing these irresistible lilies to Angie’s   Fiesta Friday # 24.  It’s a virtual party where we all get together with our creations, a fun time meeting, greeting and sampling an array of foods from around the world.  Thanks to our 3 co-hosts, Indus, Hilda & Selma for helping keep the party in check :).