Lilium lankongense

asiatic lily bulbs

size: 1 bulb

available to order from summer 2012

£3.99

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• Position: full sun with light dappled shade at its base
• Soil: fertile, reliably moist soil
• Rate of growth: fast-growing
• Flowering period: July
• Flower colour: pink and white with purple spots
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Magic lantern-like flowers with distinctly recurved petals and prominent gold-tipped stamens, dangle enticingly from the tips of the tall branching stems from midsummer. The colouring is initially a soft blend of pink and white with deep magenta-purple spotting, but the pink becomes stronger as the flowers age. A cottage garden favourite that is more tolerant of limey soils than most.
  
  
• Garden care: Lilies can be planted at any time from early autumn, to mid-spring. Planting in autumn often helps them settle in and become better established before they start to put on their new spring growth, but spring planting is a better option if your soil is heavy and wet during winter. Choose a sunny spot, preferably where the plant receives a little light shade at its base, and plant each bulb 15-20cm (6-8in) deep in a well-drained soil, enriched with well-rotted organic matter or leaf mould. Space them at approximately 30cm (12") intervals and provide support before the flowers appear. Deadhead the faded blooms promptly and cut the dead stems back to ground level at the end of autumn.