GARDEN PATH: Vibrant pollinators provide beauty, nourishment

This week’s flower crown is full of vibrant pollinators.

Welcome to this week’s Flower Crown, highlighting a stunning pollinator crown created to attract and nurture some of our garden’s most important visitors.

A feast for the eyes and bees, butterflies and hummingbirds!

● Bee Balm is a pollinator favorite with its bold, tubular flowers, sweet nectar and aromatic foliage. The red flowers of Monarda didyma and the lavender flowers of Monarda fistulosa create a striking contrast, adding depth and vibrancy to the garden.

● Swamp milkweed is the true star of any pollinator garden. This essential plant plays a crucial role in supporting monarch butterflies, providing the perfect host for their larvae.

● Butterfly Weed, with its bright orange flowers, is a magnet for butterflies and bees. Its long-lasting flowers add a splash of color to the garden, ensuring a continuous parade of pollinators throughout the flowering season.

So far, we have observed four monarchs this year, all in our pollinator plantations. I love these vibrant flowers and the life they bring to our gardens.

What else is blooming in the garden this week?

Lilies! It’s time Lily!

Lilies are probably some of the most popular flowers used by gardeners and florists! These incredibly versatile and easy-to-grow bulbs deliver color and impact. When planted in rich, well-drained soil that benefits from shaded roots and sunny tops, lilies will dot your garden with color and demand very little in return.

Planting for maximum impact is important when it comes to lilies. They are leggy, quite tall and can look odd in the landscape if not well placed with other plants around them. Consider placing them in mixed plantings, especially with perennials that bloom in early spring and can use a little mid-season light.

Color palette:

● Combine warm-colored lilies with Monarda (bee balm) and black-eyed Susans for a vibrant, bright look.

● Combine cool lilies with Purple Veronica or Salvia to create a serene and soothing garden.

There is a wide variety of lilies to choose from. Let’s explore some of the groups based on their general bloom times in the garden. These are some of the lilies in my garden, apart from the lily species. Thanks to local lily grower, Gratrix Garden Lilies, my lilies are blooming and bringing beautiful flowers to my outdoor space.

● Martagon Lilies: Also called Turk’s Cap lilies, they are early bloomers. They have downward facing flowers and are shade tolerant. The Turkish lily towers above the rest of the garden, which is fortunate, as its graceful, nodding flowers are best seen from below. Its height makes it well suited for the back of a border.

● Asiatic Lilies: These lilies often bloom in late spring to early summer with bright, vibrant colors but little fragrance.

(photo northernontarioflora.ca)

● Lily Species: These wild lilies bloom at different times depending on the species, adding unique shapes and a natural touch.

your garden

● Trumpet hybrids: These lilies bloom in mid-summer and are known for their large, trumpet-shaped flowers and strong fragrance.

● Oriental Lilies: Known for their large, fragrant flowers, they typically bloom in mid to late summer.

● Tree Lilies (Orienpet hybrids) are essentially a cross between Oriental Lilies and Trumpets, resulting in plants that have the best characteristics of both types, including height, flower size and fragrance. They also bloom in mid to late summer.

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● Tiger Lilies: With their distinctive bright orange flowers and dark spots, they bloom in mid to late summer. They are known for their striking appearance and ability to add a dramatic touch to any garden.

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Facts and tips for gardeners

● While many people associate lilies with a strong fragrance, not all lilies are fragrant. Oriental lilies, such as ‘Stargazer’, are renowned for their intoxicating fragrance, which can fill an entire garden. Asiatic lilies, on the other hand, are celebrated for their vibrant colors but usually lack fragrance.

● The lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) is a common pest in Ontario that can cause significant damage to lilies. Although it is difficult to completely eliminate, there are effective management strategies: inspect your lilies regularly and remove any beetles, larvae or eggs by hand. Apply neem oil as a natural insecticide to deter cockroaches. Introduce natural predators such as parasitic wasps, which can help control the cockroach population.

● The European lily beetle arrived in North America in the 1940s and quickly became a major pest in Ontario. Until the early 2000s, it posed a serious threat to lily farmers in the region. Through diligent pest management and education, farmers and gardeners have successfully controlled the beetle, saving the recovery and growth of the lily industry.

● The best time to transplant lilies is in the fall, after the foliage has died back. This allows the bulbs to establish roots before winter, ensuring they are ready to grow vigorously in the spring. If you miss the fall window, early spring before new growth starts is the next best option.

The long history of lilies

Lilies have a long and storied history dating back over 3,000 years. They have been cultivated since ancient times, appearing in the art and literature of civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese. Lilies were highly valued not only for their beauty, but also for their symbolic meanings and medicinal properties. The Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) is one of the oldest cultivated lilies and has been revered for centuries.

(Photo via wikipedia.org)

lily

By William Blake

The humble rose puts out a thorn,

The humble sheep blows a threatening horn:

While the white Lily shall rejoice in love,

No thorn, no threat tarnishes her beautiful beauty.

(Photos by Monika Rekola, unless otherwise noted).

Monika Rekola is a landscape designer and certified horticulturist with a passion for gardening and sustainable living. As a budding homemaker and garden writer, she shares her love of recycling, repurposing and bird watching. Monika is dedicated to organic gardening, aiming to balance our delicate ecosystem. Contact her at (email protected).