Perennial Lilies

Perennial Lilies are among the most beautiful types of flowering plants. They make a gorgeous addition to any garden or landscape and work well as borders, or to add foliage between other plants. Perennial Lilies will continue to pump out beautiful foliage year and year, enhancing your outdoor space with a gorgeous array of summer colors.

Most lilies require moist, well-drained soil and full sunlight to reach their full potential. Lilies also require rich soil, amended with organic nutrients such as blood meal and bone meal, as well as compost and greensand or another mineral-rich nutrient. These plants are certainly worth the extra fuss, as the amazing flowers they produce will be some of the most popular things you grow next season.

The Daylily is by far one of the most popular perennials. Their shape, size and color can vary and petals can grow into ruffles, thin or curly flowers. They can range in size from 10-40 inches and grow well with almost any companion plant. Not to mention, daylilies are very hardy plants that are easy for beginners to grow, yet are beautiful enough for even well-established perennial flower gardens.

Daylillies grow best in moist, hummus-rich soil. They enjoy full sunlight but can tolerate partial shade. They are also pretty tolerant plants and can withstand drought, flooding, high heat, and wind. Daylillies are low maintenance and require nothing but an occasional fungicide treatment. Nevertheless, despite their hardiness, the better growing conditions these plants have, the better quality flowers they will produce.

The toad lily is a shade-loving plant with plentiful foliage and gorgeous speckled flowers. It grows upright and at a moderate to fast pace. Its unusually unique characteristics will liven up any gardening space as it grows up to 3-feet tall and 2-feet wide.

The toad lily grows well with almost any plant and pairs nicely with hosta and barrenwort plants. Toad lilies prefer partial to full shade and soil that is rich in humus. The toad lily cannot tolerate heat, wind or drought, unlike the daylily or another hardy variety. Therefore, be careful about maintaining a consistent moisture level and provide partial shade for this plant during the heat of the summer.

Lilly-of-the-valley plants are another popular type of lily. These fragrant beauties will fill an entire room with their sweet aroma and whimsical bell drop flowers. The plant grows up to 6-inches tall and wide and requires adequate space to grow plentiful. Most Lilly-of-the-valley plants grow in a snowy-white color but there are some varieties that grow in a pale pink color as well.

Lilly-of-the-Valley thrives in moist soil and partial to full shade but can tolerate dry conditions. They do not typically have any problems with pests or disease. In colder weather, the plant should be winterized by covering the plant bed wand mulching over the crown. The flowers will winter well and return next spring if you are careful to cover them before the first frost.

The Blackberry lily is another unique plant that will add interest to your garden. Atop its erect foliage sits an orange bloom speckled in crimson red. Its flowers bloom one by one and plants can grow up to 4-feet tall depending on its growing conditions. Blackberry Lilies are also sometimes called leopard lilies due to their dramatic spots.

Blackberry lilies can grow in moist, fertile soil and well-drained, sandy soil. It prefers full-sun and requires mulching in the winter to prevent frost from damaging or destroying the plant.