Many varieties of lillies grow well in North

Gardening

Jos Van Hage

Flowers can be symbolic of special occasions and holidays and this weekend the Easter lily will be seen adorning many churches and homes.

The Easter lily (Lilium logiflorum) is noted for its large white, fragrant trumpet shaped blooms and is forced into bloom to celebrate the Easter season. After it has finished blooming it can be planted outdoors but it is not a lily that is hardy enough for our Prince George climate and so more often than not, it does not come back the following year to bloom again.

There are however, many varieties of lilies that grow very well in our Prince George climate and these come back year after year with very little effort.

Lilies are grown from bulbs planted in the spring, which bloom later in the summer.The bulbs are available now in the garden centres and can be started indoors first and later transplanted outside so that they get a head start.

Or they can be planted directly outside as soon as you can get a shovel in the ground. By starting them yourself you can save some money but if you prefer to purchase plants already growing, these can be purchased later in the spring/early summer. Plant them four to six inches deep, depending on the variety. At the greenhouse we have a lot of lilies that were planted and are already growing three to four inches high. These will be available to purchase in the next few weeks.

Lilies are one of those plants that are easy to grow and do not require a lot of maintenance. The old finished flowers should be removed when they are done blooming so that they don't produce seed pods, which takes energy away from the bulb.

The remaining stems should be allowed to die back naturally and in the spring these can be cleaned up.

I find that by leaving the stems until new growth begins to appear is a good marker as to where the lilies are planted. The plant itself enjoys full sun but the roots enjoy a cooler, shadier location. This is easily done by providing some mulch to the area or by planting a low growing ground cover over the lily bulb.

Lilies do not tolerate drought, so they should be given water during dry spells, but they will also rot if the soil remains too wet, so good drainage is beneficial. They are disease resistant and if they are given the correct growing conditions they should do well.

Every three to four years lilies should be divided, and this is done in September. Dig them up divide them and replant them immediately with a sprinkle of bonemeal in the bottom of the hole before putting the bulbs in, then give them a drink of water.

There are so many different varieties of lilies that if planned carefully you could have lilies blooming in the landscape throughout the summer. They come in a wide array of colours, size and flower styles so there can always be something different blooming.

Even though the Easter lily is not hardy for our area they still make a beautiful indoor flowering plant that signifies purity, beauty, new life and hope. They are sometimes called the "white robed apostles of hope" and were found to be growing in the garden of Gethsemane after Christ's agony.

To be able to enjoy your Easter lily for as long as possible, choose a plant that has flowers that are just beginning to open with unopened buds, and the foliage should go down the stalk of the plant to the soil line.

Place it in an area of the home where it will receive lots of indirect light and keep it away from drafts.