Plant Asiatic Lilies, Trumpet Lilies and Oriental Lilies
for a continuous parade of color

For large striking scented flowers Oriental lilies are hard to beat but they are just one of many types of lily available to gardeners. Most types are easy to grow provided they have well drained soil and a sunny or lightly shaded position. The lily family comprises some eighty species but to achieve a succession of summer flowering they can be divided into five basic groups.

Asiatic Lilies start the display in early summer with mainly upward facing flowers borne on 24-30 inch stems. Hardy in zones 4-9.

Martagon Lilies follow with dangling two inch wide flowers. These are some of the smallest types just growing 18-24 inches high. Hardy in zones 3-8.

Trumpet Lilies, as their name suggests, have large trumpet shaped flowers which bloom in mid summer. The plants grow four to five feet high and so benefit from staking. Hardy in zones 5-9.

Tiger Lilies continue the parade producing large freckled flowers with recurved petals in late summer. This type has 3-4 foot stems and is hardy in zones 3-9. Tiger lilies can carry a viral disease that affects
other types of lily. For this reason you should not plant tiger lilies
in the same bed as other types. In fact some people suggest that the two
types should be planted 30 feet apart.

Oriental Lilies bring up the rear gracing the late summer with large fragrant flowers borne on 2-4 foot high stems. Hardy in zones 5-9.

Cultivation. Plant lily bulbs either in the fall or the spring. The soil should be enriched with leafmold or well rotted compost. Heavy soils should have coarse sand or grit worked into the top spit. During the growing season water freely and apply a mulch of organic matter to keep the roots damp and cool. Cover the bed with straw in winter to protect against frost damage.

For more information on Asiatic Lilies, Tiger Lilies and Oriental Lilies including full instructions on planting and cultivation visit Dutch Gardens