It's been a busy summer and now that all but my Asiatics are just about bloomed out, I'm finally taking the time to post pics of <i> some<i/> of my lilies in North Pole, AK. Yes, we do things a bit differently up here and my Asiatics open last. I think it's because all the others are started in a heated garage in pots and the Asiatics are in the ground and have to wait for the ground to warm up, though they are one of the first things to pop up each year.
I was a little discouraged in April/May because I had a much higher than normal incidence of buds aborting. Partly due to the fact we had three construction projects going on which precluded my bringing the lilies out of the garage as soon as I normally do. (The garage doors were open for sun & circulation, but it wasn't the same, they wanted OUT.) Then, when they finally got to go out, we had a freak 85 degree heat wave in May and they went "whoa, mama, it's a little TOO toasty, too fast"...(We won't talk about their mama overwatering them in the garage)...My babies were very stressed. But, the yard has a section we call purgatory. Since I grow all but the Asiatics in pots, once they are bloomed out, they go into purgatory to continue their replenishing growth for next year. So, the aborted buds plants just went there early and that just means I'll have a whole bunch next year that I didn't see this year...That SHOULD mean I wouldn't need to buy any new ones...Ahhh, no...Already got my list started for Faraway/Ramona and since Buggy is on sabbatical (I refuse to believe she is done and do believe in miracles), I'll finally have to place an order with The Lily Nook...Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I've been chomping at the bit to order from them, but Faraway, Buggy and dabbling with The Lily Pad has keep me as busy as I can realistically manage since this beautious addiction took hold. I think I have the worse case of zone envy when I view the incredible multiplying you are all able to achieve by planting in the ground, but every time one of mine open, it literally takes my breath away and it's worth every minute of work involved in achieving that wonder.
I don't have swaths and meandering paths...and most of my pics are taken for my own records (trying to get better at labeling them in the computer), but I hope you enjoy what I have to share.