Wednesday 26 June 2019

Stargazer Lilies

Hello Friends!

Stargazer lilies, a big, beautiful, bold and blousy lily of the Oriental group and well known for their incredible perfume {which you either love or loathe} and those infamous deep orange stamens that drop pollen everywhere, indelibly staining anything it drops on.  Stargazers can grow to a height of around 36 inches with up to eight blooms on each stem, which in turn, when grouped together, makes a spectacular display in any summer flower border.

It's fun sometimes to look back and revisit things we once had in our gardens. At one time, I had beautiful Stargazer lilies that festooned the patio and borders, spilling everywhere in pots and which brought bright, bold splashes in a movable feast of colour to any spot in the garden. Each year, for about five years, they bloomed, but with diminishing vim and vigour, each year seeing smaller and fewer blooms. What became of them I knew not. It was a puzzle. They were properly cared for, as I thought, with the right amount of water and feed, and every year the compost was refreshed, so why did they just slowly diminish and disappear?

It seems, in retrospect, I may have done a few things badly by my bulbs, by using the wrong compost, by putting them in pots, and by not digging them in deeply enough, despite following the instructions that came with my bulbs to the letter.  Also, apparently, lilies don't stick around that long either, so as they sowed seed each year, this contributed to their demise. I am no expert, these are simply facts I have gleaned from across the internet. You may know differently? Please share!

While I had them in my garden, I adored them, and so did the pollinating insects, especially the hover flies, and they obligingly posed while I snapped away happily as they drank the rich, fragrant nectar.


Sometimes, when I have taken a macro shot, the resulting photo looks as if aliens have landed.






Pure, velvety, sumptuousness!




Another alienesque shot, but oh! Just look at those snazzy colours complimenting and making the whole image pop!









Pretending to be a Venus Fly Trap look alike






Even after the rain they still manage to look spectacular





The Lily and the Bee 
by Henry Lawson

I Looked upon the lilies
When the morning sun was low,
And the sun shone through a lily
With a softened honey glow.
A spot was in the lily
That moved incessantly,
And when I looked into the cup
I saw a morning bee.
“Consider the lilies!”
But, it occurs to me,
Does any one consider
The lily and the bee?

The lily stands for beauty,
Use, purity, and trust,
It does a four-fold duty,
As all good mortals must.
Its whiteness is to teach us,
Its faith to set us free,
Its beauty is to cheer us,
And its wealth is for the bee. 

“Consider the lilies!”
But, it occurs to me,
Does any one consider
The lily and the bee


I hope you enjoyed a little trip down Stargazer Memory Lane today!  Maybe one day I will bring them back into my garden, for no cottage garden is complete without.

Until next time
Deborah xo

11 comments:

  1. Your photos are just wonderful and I especially love all the macro shots. What a shame they have disappeared from your garden. We had orange lilies (not sure of the exact species to be honest as they were planted many years ago) in our herbaceous border and by coincidence I haven't seen any come up this year.

    The poem is lovely thanks so much for sharing :)

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    1. Thank you. yes, over the years I find I am often suddenly asking myself what happened to many plants that slowly disappear. I had orange, yellow, white and other variations on pink too at one time.

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    2. I've had another look and have found a few in flower but I suspect they are a different species as they do not have the glorious orange stamens. We also have some much larger lilies further up the garden. I have lost many favourite plants of the years such as Chocolate Cosmos, Gallardia, Rudbeckias :(

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  2. Gorgeous photos. I've not had much luck with lilies flowering after the second year. I fear they might be a bit like tulips and are more like very expensive annuals/biennials.

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    1. Thank you, I was thinking you might like those colours!

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  3. Close ups of flowers are always fascinating

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  4. Gorgeous flowers! I love gardens, but not gardening. My sweet hubby takes care of that. I found you through Susan Branch's blog. Please stop by and visit Golden Cottage Pond and Garden some time.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by! I just started a new job, so am putting your blog on my reading list for when I have a day off. Yes, a lot of us find each other via Susan's blog!

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  5. Stunning photos of the Stargazers, Deb! Stargazers are such beauties. So sad when we lose favorites in our gardens. Sadly, voles have eaten most of mine, but our daylilies greeted us when we returned home from our trip. The summer heat is helping them burst open! Have a great week, my friend. xoxo

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    1. Welcome back! You have been missed, but I know that it means lovely blog journal entries to follow!

      I wonder if the voles ate the bulbs, or just the flowering parts?

      Have a lovely first week home, as you sort out your luggage! xoxo

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