Lilies in the Desert

I bought an Asiatic lily in the florist section a super mart - many years ago. I had seen the blooms before at the Borrego Farmer's Market floral kiosk and had admired the lush tropical lily flowers... one or two of the showy blooms had been included in each for-sale arrangement.

Have you entered a market, to shop for groceries but been drawn to a colorful display of plants and flowers, exceptionally placed to catch the eye, in shiny plastic pots enclosed within generous amounts of crisp cellophane and, perhaps, topped by a ribbon? Well, I have... and many plants, now in our garden, have come from those unlikely places! My Asiatic lily is of the Albertson variety.

I used it as a living centerpiece until the bloom faded...THEN, as a gardener who refuses to throw away any living plant, I let the top die down and planted the bulb in my flower bed on the east side of the house. Asiatic lilies make any flower arrangement look like it was purchased from a florist! It was just another of my grocery store whims, as were the potted chrysanthemums, which also have flowered and spread...there is nothing fresher looking than a mass of small white mums!

The lilies are blooming now and the chrysanthemums are budding. The narrow small bed, which also grows zinnias, parsley, peppers, African daisies , cilantro, basil and eggplants ( though at different times throughout the year ), receives water year around and is heavily mulched and shaded during summer.

I finally got around to checking Asiatic lilies in my Sunset garden book and did not find ONE zone 13 recommendation! I am so glad my lilies cannot read. Let the photo be your guide and please don't shy away from trying different plants in your garden...you might be happily surprised!