Can Regal Lilies Ease Arthritis Pain?

       “Don’t sub any other flower,” Janet Weymiller wrote on her order for 25 regal lilies, “because my mom uses the petals in an arthritis remedy that really works.” We’re not doctors, but we know that flowers have been used medicinally since ancient times, and Nature is constantly surprising us, so we asked Janet to tell us more.
       “This remedy really does work!” she emailed us. “It doesn’t cure arthritis, of course, but it takes the pain away. My mother grows regal lilies (in her New Albin, Iowa, garden). When they bloom and the petals start to turn brown, she takes them off the plant and cuts them up into chunks. Then she puts the petals into a glass jar and covers them with rubbing alcohol. She lets them sit for one month, drains off the liquid, which turns brown, and rubs the liquid onto the sore arthritic spots.”
       The remedy was suggested to Janet’s mom by a local doctor who learned about it from a patient from Russia. Although we’re intrigued and hope it works, please remember that we are NOT doctors and are NOT endorsing it in any way. (August 2010)

Tiger Lilies and Dahlias in The Gardens of Frank Lloyd Wright

        Beyond his iconic Fallingwater, few of us know anything about the gardens and landscapes that were always an important part of Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision. Now Derek Fell, the renowned garden photographer, sets out to change all that in The Gardens of Frank Lloyd Wright (2009). It’s a beautiful and informative book, and any gardener with a taste for art, history, or nature will find plenty to like in it.
        Be sure to check out the photos of our 'Bishop of Llandaff' dahlias and Wright's favorite flower, tiger lilies, at Taliesin, Wright’s home and studio in rural Wisconsin. Tiger lilies, which are native to Japan and have been pictured in the country’s art for centuries, may have reminded Wright of the months he lived there during the construction of his landmark Imperial Hotel.
        Dahlias figured in one of the saddest episodes of Wright’s life. While he was away from Taliesin, his live-in companion, Mamah Cheney, and her two young children were murdered in a fire set by an employee gone berserk. The next morning as Wright walked among the smoldering ruins with a Chicago Tribune reporter, “a crushed dahlia flower attracted his attention and seemed to raise his spirits. He picked up the flower and stirred the earth around its roots to give the plant a new lease on life.” Later, Wright “gathered all the flowers he could salvage from the garden and made piles of dinner-plate dahlias, summer phlox, long-stemmed zinnias, and armloads of peppery-scented nasturtiums” to fill Mrs. Cheney’s casket. (June 2010)

“Martagons Won’t Do Well in Your Zone,” We Said, But . . . .

        Last fall when Master Gardener Linda Cobb of Spartanburg, South Carolina, ordered our martagon lilies, we told her we didn’t recommend them for her zone-7b/8a garden. But Linda loves a challenge, and this past June she wrote us happily:
        “I visited England last year and fell in love with martagon lilies. I rushed home and ordered both the pink and white ones from you. You warned me that they might not grow in my South Carolina garden. But persist I did, and planted, watered, and waited. They came up and bloomed! I planted them in my shade garden because our shade is like the rest of the country’s sun. My soil is red clay but I amended it with 1/3 compost or peat moss and 1/3 sand which I’ve found works well in South Carolina.
        “Now we wait to see if they come back next year. But in the meantime, I am so happy I was able to grow them in my own little English garden in South Carolina.” (July 2009)

Summertime… and the Lilies are Blooming

        Despite plenty of competition, lilies are one of the iconic flowers of the early summer garden. In “Growing Old Lilies,” our good customer Sara Hartley sings the praises of her favorites. “Most recent hybrids,” she writes, “tend to blur ubiquitously: large, upward facing, rigid, stocky, scentless, differing from one another only in tint. I prefer species lilies and the old breeds most evocative of childhood memories and painted tableaux. For a New England garden into which frost intrudes, these are my favorites for a full season run . . . .”
        Sara ends her essay with a few kind words about us and a shout-out to all who are growing heirloom bulbs. “Bulbs survive only by keeping the continuum growing, generation after generation,” she writes. “We gardeners form a necessary and pleasurable part of the chain, by our purchases and support of dedicated providers such as [OHG], and by perpetuating cherished bulbs in our own soil types, climates and aesthetic settings.” (June 2009)

Black Beauty Lilies Thrive in Zone-8 Florida

        Our good customer Judy Little of Cantonment, Florida, writes:
        “When I ordered your ‘Black Beauty’ lilies a few years ago, you warned me that they might not do well in my zone-8 garden. They have done fantastic! Now I can't wait to try the new lilies I’m ordering. Thanks!” (late Oct. 2008)

Martagon Lilies “Worth the Wait” Says Garden Gate

        Though wonderful – and newly stylish again – martagon lilies can disappoint gardeners because they’re often slow to reestablish themselves after transplanting. Here’s some advice from Deborah Gruca in a Dec. 2007 Garden Gate magazine article titled “Worth the Wait – Six Plants for the Patient Gardener”:
        “Good things come to those who wait. It often takes more than five years for martagon lily to start blooming in your garden. [OHG note: That is definitely the worst case scenario!] But you won’t mind the time once you see a mature clump of dozens of plants with up to 50 of the 2-inch, downward-facing flowers on each stem! . . . .
        “The large mass of flowers makes an impact in any sun to part-shade garden. The sturdy stems hold whorls of deep green leaves and don’t require any staking to keep them standing tall. Mark the spot where you plant the bulbs so you don’t accidentally dig them up – sometimes the plants don’t emerge for a couple of years after planting! [OHG: Again, this is an extreme.]
        “Tip to Hurry It Along: Buy the biggest plants or bulbs you can find [OHG: Ours!], but more importantly, once you plant them, don’t disturb or move them.” (Oct. 2008)

Hurricane Ike Survivor: ‘Rubrum’ Lily

        Our condolences to all of you touched by Ike’s devastation! Here’s one happy report from our good customer Stephanie Murrey-Alonso who lives in Pearland, just south of Houston:
        “One of my ‘Rubrum’ lilies had just started blooming a day or two before Hurricane Ike hit us, and the next morning when I walked out there was one flower on the stalk still untouched by the Cat 2 winds. It was the most beautiful thing to see after such a ferocious storm. Your lilies are the best, and hurricane resistant, too!” (Oct. 2008)

Blog of the Month: Henry’s Lily, Snow-on-the-Mount, and Beetle Mania

        Blooming at over seven feet, Henry’s lily was a hit in Marta McDowell’s front yard this summer. “I have a particular fondness for this heirloom, so tall and gangly and so very orange,” she writes. ”I’d suggest Old House Gardens Heirloom Bulbs as an excellent source, and don’t miss their electronic newsletter.”
        Always fun to read, Marta blogs about “digging in the dirt, growing flowers and vegetables, garden history, horticulture and nature.” Recent pieces have included surprise lilies in her Aunt Mary’s garden (with snapshots from the 1960s), native snow-on-the-mountain (a favorite self-sower here that I got from my grandmother thirty years ago), and her “Top Ten Reasons Why I Hate Japanese Beetles.” Read them all at martamcdowell.blogspot.com . (Sept. 2008)

New York Times Interviews Scott, Praises Our Lilies

        Anne Raver of the New York Times is always worth reading, and we especially liked her recent column about lilies. She quotes Scott extensively and writes that “he sold me my first ‘Black Beauty’ bulbs years ago, and they have bloomed from mid-July to early August without fail ever since, in ever-widening clumps.” She also credits us with introducing her to ‘White Henryi’, “the classic trumpet lily” of ivory and amber, and praises another half-dozen of our heirlooms including the wild Lilium superbum whose “iridescent green throats . . . guide their pollinators – fritillaries and swallowtails – to the nectar inside.”
        To read it all (and find out what prompted Scott to tell her, “Don’t print that!”), click here. (Sept. 2008)

Just in Time for Summer: ‘Red Velvet’ (Lily) Cake Recipe

        ‘Red Velvet’ is a wonderfully deep-colored lily, but I had always puzzled about its name because it didn’t match any red velvet I’d ever seen. [Our former office manager] Rachel set me straight when she pointed out that it’s the color of old-fashioned red velvet cake. To see for yourself, try the recipe from our friend Matt’s Grandma Opal. Topped with white frosting and blueberries, it’s the perfect treat for a Fourth of July picnic! (June 2006)

Garden Design’s “Way Hot 100” Includes Three of Our Bulbs

        Every year in March, Garden Design magazine names their “Way Hot 100.” These are, editor Jenny Andrews says, “insiders’ top picks . . . what designers and avid gardeners are wild about this spring.” Many are brand new, but of the 11 bulbs listed we’re proud that three are heirlooms we offer:
        Formosa lily: “This heirloom bulb is back in vogue,” Jenny notes, and she praises its rich fragrance.
        Red spider lily, Lycoris radiata: Its “sea-urchin-like flowers” are showcased in a full-page photo. (Please note that we recommend it for zones 7-10 only).
        Tulipa clusiana: “One of the few tulips that will perennialize (especially in the South), thriving in dry soils.” (We offer the hard-to-find, original, red-and-white T. clusiana.) (March 2006)

Our Customers Write: Lilies are “Spectacular” and “Amazing”

        Every summer our lilies get fan letters from thrilled customers. Here are excerpts from two.
        Our good customer Paula Fraser of Naperville, IL, writes: “When my ‘Black Beauty’ lily bloomed out back I did a double-take and dragged everyone out to see. And the camassia was spectacular! Thanks as always for making the world a more beautiful place.” (2005-06 catalog)
        And our down-the-street neighbor and customer Marsha Benz of Ann Arbor writes: “‘Copper King’ [currently unavailable] is AMAZING! I couldn’t believe the fragrance. I bought extra this year for gifts.” (2004-05 catalog)

‘Black Beauty’ Showcased in Family Circle – And in Front of Our Barn

        In the September 7 issue of Family Circle, our good friend Cynthia Van Hazinga has included us in her “Plant Picks from the Pros: 15 Garden Showstoppers.” One of five nursery-owners featured in the article, Scott recommends the indestructible ‘Black Beauty’ lily, Byzantine glads, and our Heirloom Fall Bulb of the Year, Tulipa acuminata.
        To see a July photo of the big clump of ‘Black Beauty’ outside the Old House Gardens barn, visit http:/www.oldhousegardens.com/blackBeauty.asp. Ten bulbs planted five years ago yielded over 45 stalks and more than 450 blooms this summer! (Sept. 2004)

Lilies: A Guide for Growers and Collectors

        For expert advice on lilies, you won’t find anyone who knows more than our good friend, Eddie McRae. After a lifetime working with lilies commercially in the Pacific Northwest, he now helps direct the Species Lilies Preservation Group. His new book offers chapters on growing, propagating, and hybridizing, along with complete information on 93 species – many long in gardens – and the development of modern hybrids. Far from an introductory handbook for casual home gardeners, this is a book that’s dense with specialized information for, as the title says, growers and collectors. (Jan. 2004)

Wow! 75 Flowers on One Regal Lily Stem!

        Sometimes our bulbs surprise even us. Click here for a look at one of our regal lilies that’s loaded with close to 75 blooms on ONE stem.
        Though we’d like to take credit for this magnificent display, it’s just the result of fasciation, a weird process that leads to those huge, crested cockscomb flowers, too. In lilies it’s often triggered by random mechanical or weather-related damage to the growing tip in spring, and typically it’s just a one-year thing.
        Thanks to our good customer Carol Cote of Shady Grove Gardens in Rochelle, VA, for sharing this incredible photo with us. (Jan. 2004)

Two Great Lilies for Alkaline Clay

        Many lilies prefer well-drained, acidic soil, but here‛s some good news for the rest of us. Garden-writer Lauren Springer, author of The Undaunted Garden and other terrific books, writes in the August 2003 issue of Horticulture magazine: “The jaunty tiger lily, L. lancifolium, and its taller, paler orange cousin, L. henryi, are the only lilies to thrive and return year after year in my heavy, alkaline clay soil” in zone-5 Fort Collins, Colorado. (Oct. 2003)

What’s Blooming Now – Lilies

        Lilies can help lift your mid-summer garden out of the doldrums. Though fall is the best time to plant lilies, NOW is the time to look for dull spots in your garden that a few lilies could brighten.
        Blooming in our zone 5/6 garden today are the willowy, wild Henry’s lily; the big, bold, white-and-amber-brushed-with-nutmeg ‘White Henryi’ (whose fragrance is one of my favorites); the stunning gold-band lily from Mt. Fuji; the farmstead classic tiger lily (I’ll never get tired of it!); and our 2003 Heirloom Fall Bulb of the Year, ‘Black Beauty’. Waiting in the wings is the last of our lilies to bloom each year, the fragrant pink, white, and ruby ‘Rubrum’ lily.
        If you can’t decide which lily you’d like best, try our new Luscious Lilies Sampler – five great lilies that will take your breath away! (Sept. 2003)

Who Is Mrs. Backhouse and Why Is She in My Garden – Twice?

        Ever wonder about the people whose names grace our flowers? We’re going to be introducing you to some of them here in our Gazette.
        First in line is Sarah Elizabeth Backhouse (1857-1921), a gifted hybridizer of daffodils and other bulbs. She lived at Sutton Court, near Hereford, England, and with her husband worked for years trying to develop a daffodil with a red trumpet. Their efforts resulted in many award-winning varieties, but their greatest achievement was the luscious, pink-cupped ‘Mrs. R.O. Backhouse’ daffodil of 1921. It’s still so well loved that it’s one of our perennial best-sellers.
        But that’s not all! Mrs. B. also bred crocus, snowdrops, colchicums, hyacinths, and lilies, including a lovely, pink-and-amber martagon named ‘Mrs. R.O. Backhouse’. (Feb. 2003)

Denise’s Favorite Lily: ‘Black Beauty’

        If you’ve ordered from us by phone in the past year or so, chances are you’ve been helped by fabulous [former employee] Denise Lynne. She writes:
        “I first fell in love with the BULBS of ‘Black Beauty’. As they lay in their bins, waiting to be picked and sent to their new homes, they looked like huge, ripe, purple plums – plump, firm, and gorgeous. When Scott gave them an adoring tribute, I ordered 25 bulbs on the spot.
        And my evaluation after their first season in my garden? I wish I had room for 50! In my small cottage garden, entirely visible from the street, ‘Black Beauty’ was a tremendous success. Tall and sturdy, its many blooms were bright, cheery, and subtly fragrant. Their dark raspberry color seemed to glow in the sunshine and at twilight they looked almost like velvet. My many garden visitors – both friends and passersby – always seemed to comment on them. I can hardly wait for next year’s show. Like all lilies, they should be even more spectacular their second year – which hardly seems possible!” (Nov. 2002)

Trumpet Lily Hardiness

        Our good customer Pauline Monz of Cazenovia, NY, writes:
        “Delighted to see you have brought back ‘Copper King’ lily [currently unavailable]. Gorgeous color and what an aroma! I have had some for about 30 years – they have moved with me three times. Incidentally, they are hardy here in zone 4. Of course, we do get good snow cover.” (2000-01 catalog)

For articles on other topics, see our main Newsletter Archives page.