My Blooming White Lily Garden

July 28, 2021

The white lily garden at my Bedford, New York farm is overflowing with gorgeous blooms.

Two years ago, I decided to transform the area in front of my main greenhouse into a more formal garden with hostas and white lilies. The beds were planted in a grid pattern, framing squares across the entire area and then filling each square with about 25 lilies in each, organized by height from back to front. The lilies came from Zabo Plant, a wholesale bulb supplier in The Netherlands. Some of the varieties include: 'Severn', 'Saronno', 'Kayenta', 'Maxima', 'Crystal Blanca', 'Zambesi', 'Nova Zembla', 'Seine', 'Castellani', 'San Christina', 'Serena Madonna', and 'Roselily Angela'. The garden has flourished since it was first planted - looking more and more lush and vibrant every summer.

Enjoy these photos.

: In the spring of 2019, the two garden beds in front of my main greenhouse were completely transformed. These areas used to be home to my currant bushes, but I wanted to create a more formal garden. Here is one side just before we planted a border of hostas.

: We also planted hundreds of white lily bulbs. The perfect spot for lilies has morning sun and late afternoon shade because it protects them from the burning hot midday sun. They will hold their flowers longer and the color is better when they receive some shade during the day.

: This is what it looked like after the hostas were planted and all the lily bulbs were in the ground. Symmetry is a very important aspect of any formal garden. Ryan and I planned everything very strategically – taller lillies in back, shorter ones in front and everything perfectly spaced.

: By June of that same year, the stems had grown to waste-high and all the hostas were established. My gardens grow so well because of the great soil I use. Every year, I amend it with rich compost made right here at the farm. In front of the two beds, we planted a row of boxwood. These boxwood shrubs were grown here at the farm from small bare-root cuttings.

: That first summer, we had dozens of beautiful white lilies.

: Last year, the beds looked even fuller – the boxwood, the hostas, and the growing lilies. Behind the beds, I decided to plant a hedge of hornbeams in front of the greenhouse windows and bordering the gardens on two sides. Here, one can just see the top of the hedge.

: All the plantings were looking vibrant and lush.

: And here are the lilies blooming early July 2020.

: This year, everything seemed twice the size.

: The hostas around and in between the lilies have filled out – very little of the soil below can be seen. Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies, and occasionally by the Japanese name giboshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants.

: Hosta leaves come in a variety of greens. A good rule of thumb for selecting a space for planting: the lighter the foliage, the brighter the sun. The deeper, darker foliage retains it color best in moderate shade.

: Hosta plants flower in summer, showing off spikes of blossoms in shades of lavender or white. The bell-shaped blooms can be showy and fragrant, attracting hummingbirds and bees.

: Between the two beds in front of the greenhouse door are four Camperdown Elms. Camperdown is a weeping elm tree with gorgeous twisted branches and dense foliage.

: Its leaves are dark green, alternate, simple, and oblong-ovate to elliptic.

: By early July of this year, all the white lily stems were standing tall and growing so well. These lilies have stronger stems than some of the other lilies in my gardens. They are also a bit shorter, so they don’t need individual staking.

: These were the first lilies to open. Lilies need at least six hours of full sunlight daily. This sunlight exposure is what enables the lilies to produce their vibrant flowers.

: Oriental lilies are known for their fragrant perfume and gorgeous blooms. These lilies have a fast growth rate and should be planted in well-drained loamy or sandy soil. Many lilies have six tepals each. The tepals are free from each other and bear a nectary at the base of each bloom. When cutting lilies, to avoid any pollen issues, pull the anthers off of each flower. Pollen is an important part of a lily’s anatomy, but it is notorious for staining flesh and fabric. Removing the anthers also prevents any pollen from getting on the flower petals, which can eat away at the delicate flower parts and shorten the life of the blooms.

: These lilies have a lot of pollen, so If you happen to get a pollen stain on your clothing, do not rub! Instead, reach for a roll of tape and use the sticky side to gently dab the area – the particles will adhere to the tape.