Lilies: Lily Lovers... continued, 1 by debi_z

debi_z wrote:
rose_petalzz, i've never grown in your neck of the woods, but i would agree with what has been said above but would also like to add that lilies can grow in part shade. i have an area that gets full sun in spring, until the leaves blossom out, then they get dappled light the rest of the year. they do beautifully, except they like to bend towards the light. lilies like there feet cool, so mulch, limiting sun, planting behind shrubs, or with other perennials around the lilies will all aid in keeping them cool. i grew lilium orienpet 'shocking' this past year and it blossomed during some of our hottest summer days. i kept it out in the sun, oh yes it was in a container, on the asphault driveway, to see how they would do. well i was really surprised that the flowers lasted so long. they did fade considerably but they lasted a longer time than some of the orientals in the garden beds. so when they say they have been bred tougher, i believe them.
the picture shows oriental 'arena' on the left and orienpet 'shocking' on the right.
i don't know what type of soil you have there in texas, but lilies like a well drained soil, but they also like a nutrient filled loam. they do not do well in clay. clay will rot the bulb eventually. perhaps not in the first year or two but soon thereafter.

i 3 pink martagons in spring of 2003. the first year only one popped its head up, then died. i had heard the stories of not liking to be moved about and sulking, so i didn't fret. this past spring 2 came up. one started to grow, what seemed normally, stopped and then died off. the second grew stunted and then stopped just like that for months. the 3rd, well that is still a mystery as if it is still down there. ;-) so i'll see what happens in 2004. your guess is as good as mine. LOL i'm afraid if i move them from there location i won't see them again for 5 years. LOL what's a gardener to do. i have them in a part sun location. getting full sun from about 11 to 2 or 3 daily, then shaded again. other lilies are doing well in this bed, including asiatics, orientals, trumpets and tenuifoliums. any and all suggestions and words of wisdom would be appreciated.

debi z and franklin