Last year, at the end of the season, I bought a very sad looking lily from a garden centre, largely because I felt sorry for it and it was being sold off cheap. Its leaves had been nibbled by vine weevils and it was generally rather the worse for wear.At the start of the year, the new little shoots suffered from late frosts, depredation by slugs and an attempted incursion by lily beetle. (This was strange. I only found one, which was squished immediately. I haven't seen traces of either them or their disgusting larvae since. Here's hoping).
It's only a very small lily, around 40 cm high - but look at the bloom it's rewarded me with! There are two more huge buds waiting to open, and this one's about 21cm across. But you'd never have guessed from last year that it was capable of a performance like this!
P xxx
4 comments:
It's magnificent! It was obvioulsy grateful to be given a chance. I saw a load of lily bulbs y'day at the garden center, being flogged off cheap and didn't buy any 'cos they looked so ill. Perhaps I'll make a return journey...
It might take a couple of years to get them up to full strength, but I think it's worth persevering. They're such magnificent flowers, and with the right feeding and care they really do show their appreciation. I look at the number of monsters in my house and garden which WERE just the sort of thing gardening books tell you NOT to buy, and were therefore just pence, which have amply repaid every bit of effort. I'd get back to the garden centre if I were you!
lovely! A lady I know has a lily and makes sure she only waters it with rainwater!
beautiful...I love those markdown, end of the season plants for this very reason...with a little TLC, they'll be fine the next season...lilies are some of my favorites!
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