Hot Colours in Lilies
The colour of this lily makes it look like it should be growing closer to the equator. The lily appears to be radiating back the sun’s energy. It’s ready to supernova.
A few of these lilies were in the garden when I moved to the house, but I haven’t found the right place for them.
The bright hot colour doesn’t really blend with most of my garden, and they’ve gradually increased, so last year I transplanted them to a more hidden area between the fence and house.
These lilies are good natured and never complain about the semi-shade.
The plants are so easy care, I rarely even water them. Even though I concealed the lilies around the narrow east side of the house, fighting it out with the raspberries, they bloom with vigour. The raspberries have the impression that they have full rights to this area. I’ve got to tie back the canes, not only to get them out of the lily faces, but to get access to harvest the fruit later this month.
I’ve tried these plants in different areas around my garden, but they never look right. The lilies tolerate the semi-shade, withstand a dry site, and put up with the raspberry thugs, yet I don’t appreciate them enough. I should admire them more for their agreeable nature. Have you ever had a perennial that you’re not sure where to place, yet you’re not ready to let go?
Great color for summer!
Sheila, yes, I think of hot, tropical places when I see it. It’s definitely a sunny July flower.
That is one hot colour! If it were mine and I had to move it, I’d make sure to settle it in next to something blue. :) It’s almost fluorescent!
I think we have some lilies that look like that…they really do stand out in the crowd. They don’t quite fit, but I let them stay where they are right now. It’s great to hear that they are so tolerant.
I haven’t really organized my garden enough to say something should move, but every time something new just shows up I have a soft spot for it if it has nice foliage or flowers.
Nancy Bond, I’ll have to use my oven mitts, instead of gardening gloves next time I transplant them.
Blue sounds good. it would look good with a rich blue to equal its saturation, perhaps a salvia or veronica, but that would require a bigger sunny area. Sometimes moving one plant leads to a whole chain reaction.
Chris ND, I know what you mean.
The lily in the top photo is the leader, “Come on guys, Northern will love us more if we just shine a little brighter. Altogether now, 1,2,3 glow”
This lily certainly grabs attention, doesn’t it? I have the same problem with one of mine that’s a similar color. It’s so bright and doesn’t fit well with most of my other plants, but it’s beautiful nevertheless. Yours is a real beauty and easy to get along with too. Who could ask for more? :)
There’s so much work to do in my garden at the moment that I need to be at least 3 people! But alas, being only one I’m muddling along, celebrating each accomplishment. Do you have trouble keeping up?
Kerri, I do have to pull the raspberries back. In the last photo the lilies look like they’re treading water in a sea of raspberry plants, and barely able to keep their heads above the waves of raspberry leaves.
It is a busy time in the garden. My garden is manageable, the size of an average suburban lot, so I can keep up by my daily puttering. That being said, I do have a little staking, deadheading, weeding, digging and moving to do. Oh, and relaxing in my lounge chair, listening to the birds, and viewing everything too.
I have some like this too. They really stand out but they look lovely with Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) and Campanula. I don’t worry too much about everything blending too much though. With a stronger colour like this I just surround them with silver leaves and it all seems to work.
Willa, using silver foliage around them is a good idea. It would help the hot colour blend with its neighbours. I have some extra Campanula to go around too.