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I love the naturalistic look of tall lilies growing amid stones and ornamental grasses and have included several varieties in my woodland garden. First to bloom is the wonderfully fragrant, old-fashioned L. regale (Regal lily). Plant this one outside a door or window and let its sweet aroma waft into the house. The wildflowery ‘Citronella’blooms soon after ‘Regal.’ Though not quite as tall as my other lilies, its stalks are loaded with small freckled yellow flowers. Like many other lilies, its bloom period extends over several weeks. L. henryi (Henry’s lily) and the ubiquitous L. lancifolium ‘Splendens,’ or ‘Tiger Lily’ extend the lily season further, lighting up the mid-summer woodland garden with their recurved bright orange blossoms. (Keep the ‘Tiger Lily’ in a bed separate from other lilies as its bulbs are said to often harbor a virus that will infect other cultivars.) In another part of the garden, I have had good luck with the tall and beautiful ‘White Henryi,’ which grows among my shrub roses and bursts into flower just as the first flush of roses has finished, rescuing that part of the garden from the summer doldrums. Also among the roses, though a bit later to bloom is the rare and deliciously fragrant ‘Golden Sunburst’ (not to be confused with the more common ‘Golden Splendor’). Next to my portal I planted a couple Lilies need an enriched though well-drained soil; in our climate they need regular water, including winter water. I have learned to make sure each bulb has a drip emitter above. I have lost a few bulbs for lack of water and others have been rather stunted until supplied with a drip. Once the lilies have become established, most will multiply rapidly. Within a few seasons you can have a lush display of multiple stalks from a single bulb. The tallest lilies will probably need staking. I have an ‘Indian Summer’ that tops 6 feet! Several local nurseries have inexpensive dark-green plastic-covered stakes in 4, 5 and 6 foot lengths. Jute twine makes a satisfactory tie. Deadhead the upper stalk when the flowers are spent, but leave the remainder of the stalk to ripen until it is brown. Undoubtedly, there are many more beautiful lilies that would thrive in Santa Fe gardens. Though I am partial to the orientals, the trumpets, and their crosses, the Orienpets, I see the shorter, upfacing Asiatics in many local nurseries. With good luck, good soil, and a bit of water, they, too, will add grace and color to your garden.
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of ‘Casablanca’ lilies. Like the ‘Regal,’ they will perfume your entire garden and the house as well, if you leave the windows open. Another fragrant and beautiful mid-summer lily is the tawny trumpet ‘Copper King,’and if you have a spot for rosy-hued lilies, try ‘Black Beauty’ or the fragrant heirloom L. speciosum ‘Rubrum’ (Rubrum lily).
