The start of wonderful August Lilies

Lily season really began way back in July, but the most outstanding of our lilies are the later blooming Trumpets, Orientals, OrienPets, and several species. The very first Oriental types to bloom was our 'Golden Star Gazer'. The fragrance is amazing, and seems to have a "citrus" hint.

We have no idea why it is so much earlier than the pink Star Gazers. Three weeks earlier to be precise. They will have totally finished by the time the pink ones bloom.

We don't have a large number of Trumpet lilies, but 'Anaconda'......

...... and 'Midnight'have been doing very well. Another trumpet hybrid called 'Casa Rosa', doesn't do as well, but it needs a bit more "encouragement". The species lily Lilium sargentiae is very similar to the trumpets, and blooms just as they are finishing. These liles are tremendously vigorous this year, after rather a disappointing show last year. They reproduce by bulbils produced in the leaf axils, and seem a bit difficult to get to produce seed. They are also very tall, likely pushing 7Ft. We have given then a bit of a "tie-up", as they do have a tendency to flop. No, the pic was not rotated the wrong way! This group missed the "tie-up". I hope they are not lying on the ground after all the rain of the last few days. The actual Lilium tigrinum are around in a number of forms other than the typical tiger lily, of which we have far too many, and they could be construed as a "weed". One we do like a bit is a variation I call the "Curly Tiger". It doesn't seem to be so generous in its reproductive efforts.It blooms a few days to a week before the others, and has quite an attractive recurving of the petals. There is a yellow that hasn't bloomed just yet.

'Boogie Woogie' is an Orienpet (a cross between trumpets and orientals), and has been steadily improving over a three year period. They were very wimpy their first year, but have amazingly strengthened each successive year. They are 6+Ft. tall this year with very sturdy stalks. It shows up just a bit before the "main" Orientals. 'Barbaresco' is the first of the Orientals to bloom, and might just be my favourite if I could persuade it to do a bit better. I suspect it is getting competition from nearby trees. The rest of the lily story will come later.