Pull Some Anthers

I really have to marvel at the size, number, and beauty of the Simplon lilies this year. Standing taller than me, 5' 4", and with stems more than an inch thick, they are a sight to behold. Ed has been carefully removing the anthers keeping the fragrant white flowers pristine and pure. Since we have no plans to grow lilies from seed there's no reason not to have the blooms the way Ed prefers them. The bees can find pollen elsewhere.  Two daughter plants are growing near the base of these giants.  We will likely lift the new bulbs this fall.  Given the size of the parent plants, we will have to find a way to provide frost protection where they are.  Perhaps I can stitch a custom tarp that will ease right down over the wire cage.

There's no need to remove the anthers on the Stargazer lily. With all that bright pink color and all those spots a little pollen would never be noticed here. These lilies also possess a wonderful fragrance. It's nice to have blossoms from this one. Cold has nipped Stargazer in the bud for several years in a row.

 

These Turk's cap lilies were a gift from Janet and Jane. I'm not sure how many years they have been in our garden, but up till now we have never had flowers. One year an orphaned fawn bit off the bud cluster then spat it on the ground. Other years the lilies were content to produce black bulbils. I just love the way the flower petals curl back and let it all hang out. Pollen would have to go against gravity to fall on these petals. Blooming beautifully like this for days, these lilies have been a real treat, definitely worth the wait.  These three mark the end of our lily season.  All things considered, we have had a great lily display.

End of the July Garden, Photos by Amy

Ed's 'Salmon Star' lilies are stealing the show both in sight and scent categories.

The bright yellow 'London'  lilies light up the garden.

The 'Simplon ' lilies are almost six feet tall. Pure white petals , fragrance and  thick sturdy stems  make them a favorite of Ed. Since we are not interested in seed production, he talks about removing the anthers as soon as the flowers opens to preserve the pristine white flower. I on the other hand don't like to disappoint those pollinators besides Ed looks so cute with that orange pollen on the end of his nose.

Purslane is coming up everywhere. It's yellow flowers are soon to be followed by seeds. We are doing very best to get these weeded out. Apparently this July's weather  was perfect for growing purslane.

This  little guy is a ' Sugar Baby' watermelon. I was not surprised to see the hairy stems, but until I saw Amy's photograph, I never knew tiny watermelons had hair. All the watermelons I've seen have been bald!

Tiny little hens and chicks are hairy too. These little guys are lined up in a crevice of Ed's stone wall like peas in a pod.The tiny plants came up from seed self sown by the larger clumps that reside on the wall. As they grow things are going to get a bit tight!