I was wondering if anyone would like to share their favorite choice of mulch for lilies and/or plants that shade the lily roots? I have used cocoa mulch and cypress bark mulch and one of my favorite ground cover to shade the roots is Campanula carpatica Clips Blue .
I realized after moving some things around this year, that one of my companion plants had a giant root system that probably hindered the bulb's growth. I had no idea that Platycodon grandiflorum had such a massive root system, at least in my yard. Live and learn, that's what it's all about.
Favorite lily mulch or root shade plant
right now I have a selection of heucheras that seem to be doing the job nicely. They tend to push themselves up and out and haven't interfered.
That's a new one on me too: that balloon flowers have massive root systems. I would have thought it to be "taprooty".
I have a ready supply of oak leaves from my parents'. First mulched through the mower, of course. Probably not true for hybrids, but there are some species lilies that seem to do better with close neighbors, rather than all by their lonesome.
Balloon flower is tap rooty, but very agressively so. A portion of the tap root actually gripped onto the lily bulb and around it! It was strange. I had no idea the root would a) go that deep (3 feet to the base) and b) actually leech onto a bulb. Then again, maybe it is just the soil conditions or something. Have always been fond of that plant. I moved it out on its own, where it can be enjoyed and not interfere with another bulb. It's a strong grower....for certain.
Thanks for the input .
I like larger daylilies---the leaves spread out from the center to shade the lily stalks, but give them plenty of room to grow.
Other Lilies (-:
Spoken like a true lily lover, declfi. Oh how I do love the lilies too!
About cocoa mulch, it's very poisonous and should not be used where small children and dogs can get at it. I've never used it, but I understand that the odor of the mulch is attractive, reminiscent of chocolate. I have a friend who lost both of her dogs to cocoa mulch poisoning this past summer. I understand that Hershey's, who is the manufacturer, refuses to put warnings on the packaging citing that only 10% of dogs who eat the mulch die. 10% is too many for me. 'nuff said.
I use Columbines, daiseys, and annuals like Clarkia and salvia. I am hoping the Clarkia I grew last year will reseed. Valerian is good too since it blooms early, then if you cut down the bloom stalk, it lets plenty of light get to the lilies. I wonder about poppies too.
Quite by happenstance, I also use an annual Lone-in-the-Mist relative: Nigella hispanica. It has fine disected foliage, maybe even more so then damascena, so there is no worry about shading the lower lily leaves too much.
They're the blue flowers (obviously) in the pic.
I've been pleased with various tall coreopsis too. The foliage spreads out to protect the stems, but is light enough to let air & light in.
Thanks for the great ideas. There aren't a lot of lilium people, that I know of around here, so I haven't seen what others do. I look to you all for ideas and direction. And thank you all for this.
Short coreopsis types might be even better, like zagreb and moonbeam.
Hmmm, not sure about the coreopsis, mine tends to spread with a rather strong web like net of root/stem...I would worry it might get too dense around the lilies (though it would also be pretty easy to 'clear' the area where the lily is sprouting.
The roots of my coreopsis seem to only go down 3 inches. The lilies are planted a foot behind any perennials I use to cover their stems. I like to use the perennial gerianiums too--small crown area, but bush out to 2 foot circumference.
Then maybe you could try Coreopsis verticillata 'Rosea'. It seems to have a weaker constitution, at least up here in the north.
Great idea wandasflowers....mine are relatively shallow too, but they spread pretty thickly. Have some geraniums that have worked well for me too.
Leftwood - yup, I would agree, that is one that is pretty sparse here too....not a very good cover of anything.
I'm actually very fond of "Rosea" coreopsis. It doesn't spread so agressively, like say, "Moonbeam" does here. My MIL gave me a chunk of "Moonbeam" coreopsis last year, in a trash bag. I had so many things to plant that I literally forgot all about it. It was against the fence, half way out of the bag, part of it attatched itself to grass and it overwintered the whole clump. We had freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw cycles that challenged some of my planted-on-purpose-plants last winter. But this "Moonbeam" did NOT want to say "die". Needless to say, when it came time to actually plant it, it had very much decided where it wanted to live....right where I left it all winter. It had made some pretty hefty roots! I kid you not. So I left it there, tore a few clumps to give to freinds to share the joy. Those clumps were not too happy to be leaving either. Wow.
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' - this yellow leaved variety isn't as invasive as some varieties and it does provide coolness for the lily root runs.
I really like Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' too. I use it around the bases of hostas and anywhere else I have bare ground. It does spread fast, but fis easy to pull. Makes a nice contrast with the darker greens in the garden.
I'll add it to our seed order! Thanks for a great idea.
My DH grew 'Crazy Daisy' for me, to hide the stems, but being it's first year it didn't flower. I just hope it's tall enough. I did sprinkle some cleome but none of it germinated so I guess Martha's seeds weren't up to par.
I find "Rosea" Coreopsis VERY aggressive in my garden--spreds like a mat. if I try to move it, I have to take every tiny root or the clump comes back.
For me it remains two weak scraggly plants and they may have had their last year. Zagreb, however, grows beautifully and I love the darker gold. I just use a very sharp (thrift shop) knife to cut through the ground to remove the excess.
Wanda, isn't it weird , the little differences in our yards, even in the same zone? It's like the subtle soil difference or microclimate must make the difference. I bought "Rosea" for the color difference and I am always worried about losing it . What you describe is what "Moonbeam" does for me, that and the balloon flower plant.
My balloon flowers increase only slowly.Last to emerge in the spring (I always fear they are dead) and first to die off with frost.
I wish I was as good about taking pictures as you are. My balloonflower root attatched(partially wrapped around) to my Silk Road Lily worried me. They are so pretty and had seeded like crazy for me , even the first year I had it. The next year I cut the seed pods off right away, only to give the roots more energy, evidently. Isn't all this strange? The differences....
I have one growing under a shade tree with part sun (it can successfully fight off crabapple tree roots!) and two others in a northwestbed. Maybe the minimum sun is what is keeping them in control.
