Ah, this is the time of year gardening catalogs arrive. What does that tell me? It is time to plan and order our summer blooming bulbs now so we can look at the lilies of the fields this summer.
Oh joy! I fell in love with lilies as a teen when we moved to North Louisiana and had a glorious stand of stunning Tiger Lilies in bloom. I was smitten.
Lilies are prized beauties and one of the easiest flowers to cultivate, making them one of the most popular garden flowers. They can be planted in the spring or fall. Want a spectacular show? Plant some of the lilies listed here or have fun digging through the catalogs or online. Combine early bloomers like Asiatics with mid-season Orientals and late-blooming trumpet lilies to create non-stop blossoms.
Here’s a summary of some of the easiest to grow in the South where I live.
Asiatic hybrids. Earliest bloomers that are easy to grow yet mostly unscented. Consider planting 1) Lilium ‘Navona’, a pure white beauty or 2) Lilium ‘Lollipop’, which is 2-3 foot tall white with bright pink tips.
LA Hybrids. Early bloomers created by crossing Easter lilies and Asiatic hybrids producing upward facing flowers 2-4 feet tall. Consider planting 1) Lilium ‘Royal Sunset’, an orange center with pink petal tips or 2) Lilium ‘Samur’, a medium pink bloom.
Orienpet lilies-also called OT Hybrids. These “best of the best” lilies were created by crossing Oriental and trumpet lilies. These have strong stems, are more tolerant to heat, and need less winter chill. These lilies are a great option according to Southern Living Magazine. 1) Lilium ‘Scheherazade’ is a 10 foot tall standout. Its flowers are rose-red with creamy yellow edges, 2) Lilium ‘Conca dOr’, a 4-5 foot plant with lemon yellow blooms and faded edges, or 3) Lilium ‘Silk Road’ produces very large, heavily scented white blooms with cherry red throats on vigorous, hardy plants.
Oriental hybrids. This is the group with large, perfumed blooms. Lilium ‘Casa Blanca’ is a pure white classic beauty or Lilium ‘Stargazer’ is an easy to grow, extremely fragrant rose-red beauty with white margins.
Trumpet lilies hybrids-also called Aurelian hybrids. These showstoppers bloom mid-summer and are fragrant, tall, stately, elegant flowers that are breathtaking. Check out the Golden Splendor strain or the Pink Perfection strain. Lilium ‘African Queen’ is a beautiful apricot-orange with brown streaks.
Double Oriental Lily. These are my personal favorite. They are flamboyant, fragrant, and usually pollen free (making the cut flowers long lasting). They look like quadruple blooms rather than double. Lilium ‘Magic Star’ is a dazzling summer pink flowering beauty striped in red, edged in white and dotted with crimson freckles.
Trumpet Lily. These perfumed showstoppers are mid to late summer bloomers that are massive at maturity. Typically 3-5 feet tall, they can tower to 8 feet! 5) Lilium ‘Regale’ is an enormous 8-10” long trumpet shaped white lily with a golden throat and pink tinged outer petals. Want the secret to creating colossal sized plants? Give them an annual feeding of rich compost.
We worry about what to plant in our yards, yet Jesus speaks truth into our lives about what He has implanted into each one of us.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)
Lilies of the fields are but one of God’s glorious creations, yet isn’t it comforting to know God cares for us even more than He cares for these blooming beauties?
We didn’t even mention the Easter, Tiger, Formosa, or Philippine lilies!
Plan to join me as we stroll through the garden inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of these beauties this summer. I’ll share my photos if you will share yours with me. Oh by the way, the show gets better each year.
Each one of us is looking to find God in our day to day living so His peace prevails in our lives. You have a story about how you found the peace that passes understanding. Your story may help others find calm in the chaos of their life. Please join me.
I invite you to join me as a guest on my new radio show Find Calm in the Chaos of Life. Check your calendar and my real-time availability to schedule time with me here. We will record the interview for posting at a later date.
I look forward to talking to you SOON!