Blazing saddles had nothing on this years blazing Lilies in pots and beds. My current go- too is the oriental ‘Black Beauty’

Oriental Lilies are native to China and Japan and are a later flowering variety of Lily. Oriental Lilies tend to produce large, showy and fragrant flowers. They vary in size from 1 foot dwarves to 7 feet giants. The smaller varieties make good pot plants.

Oriental Lily Facts

• With a spicy and sweet fragrance, oriental lilies are late bloomers  in August / September.
• They bear 6+ open faced flowers with spotted, brushed or dark shaded petals.
• Varieties of oriental Lilies include crimson Black Beauty, pure white Casa Blanca, dark pink Journeys End, pink Le Reve,  rose red Stargazer whilst Acapulco produces dark pink flowers.
• Lily flowers can be stored by florists for 4 to 6 weeks after harvesting. They have a vase life of 7 to 14 days if harvested at the right stage and given the proper treatment. This makes them an excellent choice for fresh flower arrangements and popular wedding bouquet flowers.
• These Lilies prefer slightly acidic soil and dislike alkaline soil. New lime tolerant hybrids now include Orienpets like Black Beauty.

Tips for Growing Oriental Lilies

• Lily bulbs may be planted   from mid-September through October. Plant in spring for later blooms
• Buy firm, plump bulbs with roots attached. Plant them as soon as possible.
• Bulbs never go completely dormant so they must not dry out before planting.
• Oriental Lilies grow best in full sunlight.
• Plant Lilies in groups of three or five identical bulbs spaced 8-12 ”  apart.
• Plant small Lily bulbs two to four inches deep and large bulbs four to six inches deep, measuring from the top of the bulb.
• Do not plant lilies where standing water collects as they need well-drained soil.
• Add lots of organic matter to clay soil to create a raised area with improved drainage.
• Incorporate organic matter into light, sandy soil  to help hold onto nutrients and prevent it from drying too rapidly.
• In November mulch over newly planted bulbs with four to six inches of loose, weed-free compost, leaves, or wood chips. This delays soil freezing and allows roots to continue growing longer.

Companions for Oriental Lilies

• They mix well with with herbaceous plants that have different flowering habits or forms but avoid matching them with day lilies
• Daffodills in spring and Japanese anemone in autumn would extend the season of interest
• Ferns and annuals are other considerations, cornflower, candytuft and love in a mist are worth trying