Mid-summer Lilies

At the end of the filaments the anthers hang crusted with amber colored pollen.

That unmistakable spicy fragrance announces their presence in the garden even before you see them. Then those large exotic looking blooms, the size of dessert plates, reel you in closer. The Oriental lilies are in bloom in my mid-summer garden.

Pink lilies softened by the haze of a humid summer afternoon.

In my experience lilies seem relatively easy to grow. Top among their demands is sun. I have tested this preference by planting them in the half sun of my back garden, only to be rewarded for my impertinence with small flowers and stunted growth. So, full sun it is.

After an early morning shower, the heavy flower of a white lily tips and stamen weighted with raindrops falls earthward from the flower's canopy.

The sensuous curve of the lily's back.

By day's end, the lily has opened to catch the last rays of sunlight.

Lily bulbs are best planted in fall, although they can be planted in spring as well. With their overlapping fleshy scales, lily bulbs look rather like a beige colored artichokes. Tucked into the heart of each bulb is the next season's stem, leaves and flower in embryo form.

A flashy tiger shows it spots.

 Raindrops pool in the cup of the up-curled petals.

This tiger lily skyscraper stands almost 5 feet tall.

There are four basic types of lily flowers, down-facing, out facing, up facing and trumpet. 

If you happen to brush past a lily in bloom and get the pollen on your clothes, don't rub the pollen with your hand or a cloth. (I've learned this lesson the hard way!) Rather, remove as much as the pollen as you can by shaking out the garment or use a piece of sticky tape to lift the pollen. Soak it in cold water and treat with a good stain remover like Oxyclean. If I bring the flowers into the house, I usually use a piece of tissue and snap off the pollen laden anthers.

Breathe in that glorious fragrance and enjoy!