Landscape & Gardening

September’s Lilies

caladiums are trying to crowd out the lilies

Oxblood Lilies. Every year towards the end of August, the Oxblood Lilies make their annual show. But dang it! Because their foliage had died back earlier in the summer and not knowing where the bulbs were exactly (they tend to continually migrate toward better sun exposure), I AGAIN find that I have unintentionally planted summer annuals around them, and they just aren’t able to compete with the crowd. Will I ever learn? The bulbs planted in the front parkway among the English Ivy show up well, but not the ones in the west bed.

And then there are the Rain Lilies

the white things are rain lilies

Rain Lilies (they’re the tiny out-of-focus white things). Only rain can make these beauties bloom. Seriously. They are not fooled by hand watering, even if you do set your water head to the “sprinkle” setting. The two bunches above are the result of last week’s rain. And after yesterday’s scary dump (remnants of hurricane Hermine), I can expect an even bigger show next week.

The Oxblood and Rain Lilies are perennial and have thrived in Texas for many generations. Usually in old forgotten locales such as graveyards. I purchased the bulbs from a fairly new local grower, The Southern Bulb Company. The owner, Chris Wiesinger, has spent many years hunting out heirloom bulbs that were once considered lost.

the crowd

See? The Oxblood Lilies are trying to peek out, but the Louisiana Iris is competing for the same sunny real estate. They just won’t stay put, because the tree canopies keep growing and shading out more of my garden.

Hopefully in a couple of weeks, the Red Spider Lilies will start blooming and photos will follow.

6 thoughts on “September’s Lilies”

  1. Karen Dorff says:

    How beautiful Patsy Ann! Your garden is amazing. If your rain lilies bloom in sync with the amount of rain received, you are going to be awash in lilies for sure!

  2. Patsy Ann says:

    Wow! It works! My first “real” commenter. Thanks, Karen!

  3. Jane Gibbons Smith says:

    I love fall lilies ! Thank you for reminding me to look for them.

  4. Jane Gibbons Smith says:

    Your Smallrooms entry picture made me laugh out loud. When I was in high school I used my little sister’s easy-bake oven to make a two layer tiney birthday cake with green icing and I put doll arms sticking out of the top. ( It was for a guy I was dating…another story)

  5. Patsy Ann says:

    Hey, thanks, Jane, for being my second “real” commenter! And about that cake… hopefully he appreciated its originality. If not… his loss.

  6. I don’t know how I missed your reply over a year ago on Native Plant Society of Texas’ FB page – but THANK YOU – yes, this is the plant I have been trying to identify!
    I also lost most of them in last summer’s drought and have a dozen bulbs in water in my kitchen awaiting spring, but now I can get more as well!
    🙂 Thank you

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