lily of the valley

Hi, I'm new to all this but hope to pick your brains on several topcs.Ive got two clumps of lily of the valley although thy're lovely when in flower they soon go over. What can i do so as not to destroy them but also have a good display of summer flowers?

 

Plant flowers or bulbs along side them which come into display at a different time of year.
My Lilly of the Valleys like shade so you could plant them under a shrub which gave you a Summer display or plant shade loving bulbs to plant with your lillies.

Have fun choosing some!

 

They particularly like being under a tree - so Waco's suggestion is excellent. Depending on what you like, you could have other plants to grow up over them too, which will die down again to let them show off again each year - like dicentras - really nice plants. http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/272.shtml and http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/7388.shtml

 

Mine have now spread from under the shrubs into the lawn and are still on the move. Have decided now to dig them up and put into pots buried in the garden as with Mint/etc..

 

Yep, they are one of our prettier thugs but thugs none the less if they get on the loose. Very penatrative roots that will go though old brick or stonework like it wasn't there. Will do well in a tub in a moist, shaded part of the garden but watch out for self set seedlings as it's very prolific.

 

Try as I might (at least three times in various parts of my garden), they just won't grow for me.

 

I know lots of people who have that problem - but once you get them going, you can't stop them!! Best thing is to get some established plants from a friend or neighbour, and try with those - they're likely to be ok. My problem with them is that I have to have them in pots, and my dog keeps knocking over the pots - only those ones, for some reason, wherever I put them (even behind others!)

 

Your dog obviously doesn't like them

 

I think it's exactly the oppposite, Stingo!

 

Oh of course