Lilium 'African Queen'

lily African Queen bulb

1 year guarantee

  • Position: full sun
  • Soil: well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or a loam-based potting compost, such as John Innes no2
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: July to August
  • Flower colour: burnt orange
  • Other features: excellent cut-flowers
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    Giant-sized, fragrant trumpets appear on the tall, upright stems of this bulbous perennial in summer. A showy plant, which is ideal for adding height and scent to the border. They fit easily into a cottage garden scheme, but will work equally well in herbaceous borders, particularly when teamed with other hot colours.

  • 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.

Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold'

yarrow

Flat, plate-like yellow flowers on tall stems

£7.99 Buy

Campanula lactiflora 'Pritchard's Variety'

milky bellflower

Masses of bell-like lilac flowers

£7.99 Buy

Paeonia 'Buckeye Belle'

paeony / peony

Deep red, semi-double flowers

£11.99 Buy

Geranium 'Brookside'

cranesbill

Deep blue flowers and long flowering seasons

£7.99 Buy

Papaver orientale 'Manhattan' (New York Series)

oriental poppy

Beaufitul lavender-rose flowers

£9.99 Buy

Rosa 'Climbing Etoile de Hollande'

rose Etoile de Hollande (climbing hybrid tea)

Sumptuous crimson rose

£14.99 Buy
 

How to control pests

How to control pests

Containment, rather than complete eradication, is the key to pest management in an organic garden. A certain number of pests have to be tolerated because they are food for the predators – kill all the pests and there is nothing...

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Lily beetle

Be on the look out for Lily beetle on prized blooms from June onwards, says Plant Doctor Helen Derrin I would forgive the beautiful lily beetle almost anything apart from eating my lilies! Despite my best efforts, they seem to return...

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Plant spring bulbs

Spring bulbs, such as daffodils and hyacinths, can be planted whenever the soil conditions allow. As a rough guide, cover them with about twice as much soil as the bulb is deep: so that a 5cm (2in) deep bulb would need a 15cm...

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Planting bulbs

Bulbs are ideal for anyone who rates themselves as 'keen-but-clueless' because they are one of the easiest plants to grow. Provided you plant them at the right time of year at more or less the right depth, they will reward...

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