I love lilies

My Lilies are just starting to fill out now, I have some in containers and this year I have tried some directly into the ground
Lots of beautiful colour wish they would last longer

 

Also had a dutch Iris that oped this morning looking forward to these as I have never grown them before

 

the lillies look absolutely splendid nathan7

i must re stock my garden as a lot of my lillies have disappeared over the years
mine are not yet in flower - but when they do would you mind if i tag them onto here?

 

Your lilies look good Nathan. :thumb:
I've got lots of pots and lots in the ground but you're right, they don't last long enough and the hunt for lily beetles is routine. Never mind just have to grow lots more :hehe:

 

Those are all just stunning.

 

Fab Lillie's Nathan..I just love them..

 

I'm a lily lover too :thmb:

 

Nathan your lilies look fab. I've also been looking at some irises cause they look lovely as well.

I've only just discovered that I'm a lily lover lol. Mine aren't in flower yet but I can't wait. I've got some of those tree lilies and I'm hoping they'll grow well

 

Just lovely Nathan, mine are not out yet I put some in a pot this time the buds look very fat so am hoping for great things.

 

Im Facinated with the Centre of the Lillie's.. Are they Seeds?

 

think that the anther and stamens are in the middle

does a lily expert know?

beautiful pics, gorgeous colours

 

Another pretty one for sure!

 

Young Daisy time for a birds and bees lesson,the part of the lily protruding in the center is the stigma the brown pads are the anthers (they hold the pollen).Plants are roughly divided in to two categorys self fertile and self sterile,self fertile is when the pollen is transfered from the anthers to the stigma on the same flower (by birds bees other insects or just the wind) and it fertilizes itself seeds are formed and you get an exact replica of the plant.Self sterile means it cannot fertilize itself and needs pollen from a different plant put on its stigma again mother nature provides the birds bees etc, in this scenario the seeds produced are "hybrids" and are a mixture of both parents.Hybridisers know exactly which cross pollinations to make to make consistant hybrids known as f1 hybrids.
If you fancy a go at producing your own lily crosses it's easy just as the flower is opening snip off the anthers before they fluff up with pollen, go to the donor flower with a small artists brush wiggle it on its anthers to pick up the pollen, take it to the receiver flower and gently brush it on the stigma,cover the flower head with a fine mesh to stop any visiting bees etc interfering with your cross and possibly contaminating it,stand back and await seed developement,you now are a plant breeder. Plant your seeds it will take about 3-4 years to have a fully developed plant if your happy with it you can name it "Young Daisys Newcastle delight".

 

Thats very interesting Walnut don't think I'd have the patience for that lol