About Lilies

True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) are often confused. True lilies grow from bulbs, producing a single tall stem with leaves along its length. Daylilies grow from tubers, forming a foliage clump with leafless flower scapes.

Designing with Lilies

Slender and vertical, lilies tuck easily between perennials toward the back of borders. They bridge seasonal gaps—blooming after peonies and baptisia fade, alongside summer companions.

• Asiatic lilies (earliest) pair with salvia, geranium, centaurea, heuchera.
• Orienpets (trumpet × oriental crosses) complement campanulas, daisies: echinacea, coreopsis, gaillardia, leucanthemum.
• Oriental lilies (latest) shine with phlox, ornamental grasses, sedum, long-blooming echinaceas.

Cutting Garden & Care Tips

Plant rows in a cutting bed or vegetable corner if you prefer not to snip border blooms. Spring-planted lilies may be shorter their first year—bulbs push stems before fully rooting. By year two, they reach full majestic height. Orienpets and orientals may need staking in partial sun, as they lean toward light.