Totally Tulips

May is tulip planting time. Considered by many to be the Queen of Flowers, tulips have captured the imagination of poets and artists for centuries.

Contrary to popular belief, tulips originate from the Turkish Himalayas and not from Holland, although it is thanks to Dutch breeders that we have so many wonderful varieties.

To ensure maximum impact plant them in groups of 10 or 20. Some consider tulips difficult to grow, but this need not be the case if you consider their requirements. Most importantly they need cool, moist conditions from planting time onwards, to flower well.

This can be achieved by planting them away from heat reflecting surfaces like walls and adding a thick layer of mulch over the soil’s surface. Then water, with a sprinkler, every four days for forty minutes.

Top Tip

• If you ordered treated tulips, Hadeco will send them to you in the last week of May. Because of the temperature treatment they have undergone, they need to be planted as soon as possible.

Lilium longiflorum - The Queen of the Lilies

Lilium longiflorum’s glorious combination of snow-white blooms and majestic fragrance is certainly why this particular lily was gifted with the name Snow Queen. The white lily is a traditional symbol of purity and majesty, and it is easy to see why once you have gazed upon these elegant flowers. As pure white as freshly fallen snow, the Snow Queen’s trumpet-shaped blooms face out from a tall (up to 90 cm) stem, which is adorned with glossy lance-shaped foliage. At the heart of the Snow Queen’s flowers is a subtle yellow shading and delicate stamens crowned by golden yellow anthers. The beauty of L. longiflorum’s flowers is equalled only by the wonderful heady scent that emanates from this lily. Snow Queen is a truly heavenly sight and scent to behold.

This regal beauty is also known by other names, including Easter, November and St. Joseph lily. Over the years some confusion has arisen from these alternative titles for L. longiflorum, especially the name St. Joseph. In South Africa, there have been incidences when the name St. Joseph lily has been incorrectly used for an alien and invasive species of Lilium. The invasive species, Lilium formosanum, looks quite similar to L. longiflorum but it should not be grown in our gardens. It has some brown streaks in its throat that give it away compared toL. longiflorum. It is a common misconception that the St.Joseph lily is L. formosanum but this is not the case. We would like to assure you that when you plant our lovely Snow Queen bulbs only the most beautiful Lilium longiflorum grace your garden.

To ensure maximum impact plant them in groups of 10 or 20. Some consider tulips difficult to grow, but this need not be the case if you consider their requirements. Most importantly they need cool, moist conditions from planting time onwards, to flower well.

Snow Queen is a selection of the species Lilium longiflorum that originated in Japan. L. longiflorum is incredibly similar to the pure species L. candidum, known as the Madonna lily. Unfortunately many of these pure species do not grow successfully in our South African climate but luckily for us the L. longiflorum is a wonderful exception to this rule. Just like the Asiatic varieties we featured recently, the secret to cultivating lilies successfully is cool soil with good drainage. Choose a spot where the soil will remain cool, for example near shrubs, and ensure the flowerbed is thoroughly dug up. Lilies will struggle to grow if their soil is poor and compacted, as it will stop water from soaking down to the bulb’s deepset roots. A layer of mulch will also aid growth and assist in keeping the soil cool and moist. As long as the soil is cool, Lilium will thrive in a spot that receives light shade to full sun. The sunshine will help the foliage and flowers flourish. Be careful of exposing your potted lilies to full sun though as they prefer to be protected from direct sun and heat.

Your Snow Queen bulbs are ready to plant from now until August and will start to flower from September until January. The flowers of Lilium longiflorum are exceptional and there are few bulbs that surpass their beauty. This beauty does not have to be confined to the garden though as L. longiflorum produce blooms that are perfect for the vase. Traditionally you would fill your vases with pure white Snow Queens, but this year look out for pink and yellow L. longiflorums! That’s right, this beautiful lady is being produced in stunning pink (Pink Heaven) and glorious yellow (Deliana). We have a small quantity of these exclusive lilies available on our online store and they will also be gracing florists around South Africa.