Gwen’s Spring Lilies in Kansas – Fine Gardening

Hi GPODers!

Gwen Chance in southeast Kansas has shared her garden a handful of times over the years (check out those previous submissions here: Daylilies and More in Kansas, Gwen’s Garden in Kansas, A Pretty Pergola Garden in Kansas and A Focal Point Makes All the Difference). In each of those submissions a variety of fantastic flowers can be seen in her garden, but her incredible collection of daylilies was always a highlight. Today she’s sharing an exciting update: Her collection has recently been expanded to include a thrilling assortment of other true lilies (Lilium spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9).

I have been gardening since 1990, mostly with daylilies, but in the last few years have discovered I love other types of lilies too. These are some of what I have in my garden. I’m 75 years old, and gardening gets me up and going. I would love to add irrigation to my garden, as it gets harder every year to take care of everything.

First up is a fabulously speckled variety, potentially the cultivar ‘Suncrest’.

Next is a lovely Longiflorum (a.k.a. Easter lily) and Asiatic hybrid, ‘Sweet Sugar’. Gwen’s plant is absolutely covered in blooms and just beginning its fragrant performance.

Another lily covered in blooms but with plenty of buds that indicate that the show will continue to delight in the weeks that follow. Unfortunately, I’m not sure what cultivar this butter-yellow beauty might be.

Thankfully, Gwen was able to label the rest of the lilies she shared, like this outstanding ‘Elodie’ lily. An Asiatic variety with incredible double blooms, the twisted and curled petals in the center of the flower give it a unique look that you won’t find in many other lily cultivars.

Back to the more traditional forms, ‘Virtuoso’ is an Oriental lily that is still enticing, with a lovely combination of light pink speckles and stripes up each long petal.

Every year Gwen’s garden gets a visit from their local tree frogs, which appear to love her lilies just as much as she does.

Next up is another incredible double variety, this one with piles and piles of bright pink petals edged in white. If this enticing colorway looks familiar, you might not be surprised to hear that ‘Samantha’ is actually a double version of the popular ‘Stargazer’ Oriental lily.

However, as we’ve seen, simpler lily forms can be just as exciting. ‘Dizzy’ is another Oriental lily that has gorgeous, slightly ruffled petals and a much bolder, deep magenta color. Even just one lone bloom makes a big statement.

Lastly, the ‘Golden Romance’ is yet another Oriental lily that makes a great trio with the ‘Dizzy’ and ‘Virtuoso’ cultivars we saw above. In this version, the romantic, ruffled petals glow with a beautiful splattering of yellow speckles and stripes.

Thank you so much for this gloriously colorful update on your garden, Gwen! Your outdoor space is a floral wonderland to admire every time you share, but your daylily and lily collections alone can cause some serious garden envy.

Do you have any plants that you “collect” in your garden? Maybe it’s a diverse plant variety, like Gwen’s lilies, that you scoop up at every new nursery that you visit. Or maybe it’s a rarer species, and the thrill of the chase is part of the fun. Let us know in the comments, or consider sharing photos of your favorite plants with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.

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