Lilium regale
lily bulb
- Position: full sun
- Soil: well-drained, including chalk, enriched with leaf mould or a loam-based potting compost such as John Innes no. 2
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: July
- Hardiness: fully hardy
- Bulb Size: 22+
One of the most popular varieties of lily, and its not hard to see why. The huge trumpet-shaped white flowers are flushed with pink, smell divine and provide great wafts of scent throughout the garden when they are open. Alternatively bring them inside as cut flowers and they will fill your home with their heady perfume. Lilies are one of the all time favourite summer-flowering bulbs as they will look superb in any garden scheme.
Be warned, lilies are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases, including lily beetle, and as such can be high maintenance and may need replacing regularly. - 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.
Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'
coneflower
Copes well with adverse weather conditions
Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'
brook thistle
Deep crimson thistle-like flowers
Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty'
sneezeweed
Bright, copper-red, daisy-like flowers and long season
Allium sphaerocephalon
round-headed leek bulbs
Small, wine-coloured flowers on tall stems
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