Lilies: Best lilies for patio pots?, 1 by cathy166

cathy166 wrote:
I plant in ground and also prepare some window boxes. Zantedeschias (calla lilies) do well in boxes, and the bloom lasts a few weeks. I've also put in Tom Pouce and Stargazer lilies. The window boxes from Walmart were approximately 20 inches long, 8 inches wide at the top and probably about 8 inches deep. They have a bottom tray that tends to hold water, but it can be pried off so that the plants have better drainage. Otherwise they need to be tipped to pour out the extra water.

They did not get too high, and they were well weighted down. I recall that Walmart had smaller (shorter) window boxes as well. All under $10 each.

I also planted anemone de caen in a window box, and it did very well. After soaking the bulbs/corms overnight, they did well in the window box and even rebloomed late in the season.

I think that among the best plants for small spaces are Heuchera (coral bells). I know that this is a lilies forum, but if you're confined to a small space, you might want plants that last longer that a few short weeks in bloom. Many do not need full sun, and there are some beautiful varieties. They can mix and match. They can also be brought indoors for winter although some winter very well in zone 6.

I'm including a photo of a container of caladiums. You do not need as large a container or as many bulbs, and they do not need sun. However, they are not hardy in zone 6, so they need to come indoors for the winter.

If you friend wants lilies, they're going to need sun.