If I had to guess, I’d say most of us love anything that blooms. I even get excited about tomato blossoms so you know I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to anything that will bloom. We have the wild flowers here but getting regular flowers .. bulbs and things like that .. this place is pretty brutal.
One of my favorite flowers is the ginger lily.
Ginger Lily
This is part of a blog post I wrote about them when I was growing them in Kentucky:
We’ve been in Kentucky for eight years and, without fail, sometime in late summer I have this conversation with my mother (who knows how much I love ginger lilies!)
Mom: You should see my ginger lilies. They are all blooming. Blooms everywhere!
Me: Good! What have you been doing?
Mom: They smell so good! I love walking outside in the morning and smelling those flowers!
Me: Good. How’s dad?
Mom: I have so many more blooms than I had last year.
Me: Good! How’s Kristy and the girls?
Mom: Remind me to send you some ginger lilies and you can see if they grow there.
NEVER happened! So, when we were home last spring, I grabbed about five bulbs, brought them home and planted them in pots. I will bring them in when it gets too cold and I will have ginger lilies forever!
In Louisiana, they’ve been blooming for several months now but my first bloom opened this morning and it smells SOOO good!! I wish I could offer a “scratch & sniff” button here but . . you’ll just have to trust me.
I didn’t dig any of them up in Kentucky so I never tried to grow them in Missouri and I’ve not tried to grow them here. I should have dug some of mom’s ginger lilies up when I was in Louisiana in January . . but I didn’t.
Tonight a friend posted on Facebook about a really neat looking garden center near them and I said . . that’s it! I’m ordering myself some ginger lilies. Easy to Grow Bulbs had several varieties and I ordered two varieties that are different from the ones mom has. Maybe next time I’m there I’ll get some from her. Maybe the ones I ordered will survive here. Maybe some day I’ll have some gorgeous, fragrant ginger lilies blooming. They need at least part shade. They need water. My chances of success are slim but . . if I don’t try it, my chances are zero so . . I try it and I hope!
MrsB says
Oh, I really miss ginger lilies! I had tons in my Baton Rouge garden. Intoxicating.
They don’t do well in north central Alabama.
Dianne S. says
Those are pretty! I’ve never heard of them..
Pat says
Love ginger lilies! They did well in low state SC. I haven’t tried them here in Clemson SC.
Margie says
Wonder if those would grow here in Oregon? We are in zone 8 and it says they are good for that. I also love smelly flowers and just might need to try one. Have a very large patch of Pinks (Dianthus) and when it is in bloom and you open the door you get the most wonderful smell of carnations. The start from this plant did come from my folks place in Washington and has been moved several times but has been in this location for 30+ years. Often wish I could bottle that smell. Right now the hyacinths are blooming and I also love those!
Dar in MO says
That looks beautiful Judy. I have never heard of them before. Wonder if they will bloom well in MO. I have quite a few day lilies and tiger lilies that do fine. May have to try and find some bulbs before summer gets here.