Oriental lily

Hey guys,

I absolutely adore Oriental lilies. Can I grow them in my garden (Scotland)?!
Never thought about this before!

 

I don't see why not. You might lose them in the winter but they are fairly cheap to replace. People in the English Midlands complain that they lose them in the winter but try them in big pots, put a layer of grit under each bulb for drainage and place in a shed during the winter, I bet you'll get away with it.
I love them too!

 

I think the ones I adore are stargazer (white and pink).

What made me think about it is I bought a yellow lily plant last year, it died (so I thought)after flowering, but yesterday I noticed there are 2 shoots in the pot! Now I want stargazers!!!

 

The yellow, orange and red ones are Asiatic, and although lovely, do not have any scent. The orientals are all in the white/pink/deep red range and smell gorgeous. You might also like Lilium regale, L longiflorum and the 'African Queen' trumpet lily group, which are all showy and heavily scented.

 

Yes it's the scented one ineed in my life haha! Oh I just love it! Thank you, I'm going to look into these!

 

Im in the midlands and ive not lost non yet(last 3yrs)
To be on the safe side just put your pots in a greenhouse,shed or porch over the winter

 

I'm in Central Leicester and mine are fine, but I've had friends who live in outlying villages say that the frosts are more severe out there, not having the benefit of warmer town air, and their lilies die.
Yes, it sounds like cobblers to me as well. I expect the slugs are eating them.

 

I live in Scotland and grow lots of Oriental Lilies. Despite their exotic appearance they really aren't difficult and mine live outside all year round with no protection. I think I'm right in saying that the breeders store the bulbs frozen but that might be wrong. The only thing I do do is grow mine in huge tubs as in my garden they don't seem to live long in the borders. Perhaps the winter drainage isn't good enough perhaps. The ones I have in tubs I've had for at least 5 years. The photo of the pale pink ones (2nd photo) are Lucy and they have a gorgeous perfume.

 

You need acid soil for them - if you, or gardens nearby you, have Camellias, Azaleas or Rhododendrons than likely that you do have Acid soil. Plenty of other fit-to-bust type lilies that will grow in Alkaline soil otherwise

I've had really good quality bulbs from H W Hyde:

http://hwhyde.co.uk/lilies/orientals/

(They sell Stargazer )