Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley is one of the most charming plants which blooms in early spring and symbolizes the end of nature’s long winter sleep.

The plant is appreciated for its tolerance to cold climate and poor in nutrients soil. It makes a beautiful ground carpet with its long lasting green leaves and elegant bell shaped flowers.

There are also varieties of lily-of-the-valley with purple leaves. It spreads easily by rhizomes, which means you can create the whole patches of exquisitely looking plants in any shady place in your garden.

The petite flowers of lily-of-the-valley are typically white, but sometimes they might come in pink. The plant will grow as big as six to twelve inches high.

This is a plant that will fit perfectly in a shady garden, bringing a touch of spring beauty with its fresh foliage, charming little flowers and captivating tender fragrance.

How to Plant Lily of the Valley

Lily-of-the-Valley prefers locations with a well-drained soil.

It will not be happy with a water logged place, though it comes without saying that soil should be reasonably moist.

To improve drainage of the soil, you can add ground bark, decomposed manure, compost or peat moss – everything will work fairly well.

The pips or bulb roots should be sited in place where they will be moderately shaded.

Before planting it is better to soak them in lukewarm water for two or three hours, so the pips will wake up faster.

After soaking they are supposed to look swollen and hard.

Before placing them into planting holes, it is recommended to snip the ends of the roots, approximately one inch long.

It will stimulate the growth of the plant and activate the roots.

When planting, their tops should be just slightly visible above the ground level.

The distance between the plants should be approximately one and a half inches.

Depending on temperature and moisture conditions, the plants start growing earlier or later, but usually in seven to ten days.

Growing Lily of the Valley

When lily-of-the-valleys are in bloom, do not hesitate to cut off the flowers for making bouquets: it will not cause any harm to the plants, and you will get a perfect spring time gift for any person who appreciates beauty.

Do not remove the leaves after the end of the flowering period: they will collect all the necessary nutrients for the next year. And also they will enrich the whole plant with sunlight.

Remember to continue watering the plants and leaves can be cut off after they become yellow or faded.

Next spring your Lily of the Valley will bloom again, bringing the joy of a spring awakening to your garden.

The plants will spread their runners under the ground, so you will have nice islands of greenery and beautiful bloom.

Do not forget to add a reasonable amount of light organic fertilizer to the soil’s top. To avoid mistakes, follow the instructions on the package.

Also mulch around the plants with about three inches of compost but take care not to put it on the top of your plants.

Summary

Lily-of-The-Valley has been a favourite for a long time, and with good reason. With its dainty scented flowers and long lasting foliage, its ability to with stand cold temperatures and poor soil conditions. And of course it makes for a beautiful ground cover.

Spreading by rhizomes fairly rapidly ensures this flower for shade provides a wonderful sea of green or an island of green foliage. Propagate by division in Spring or Fall.

Its tiny bell shaped flowers are usually white, although you can find them in pink as well. Bloom time is mid-Spring to late Spring. The blooms will last about 2 to 3 weeks.

This shade lover will grow 6 to 12 inches tall and spread to a foot. A rich well drained soil is best for producing flowers and a deeper green foliage. Keeping the soil moist is a must for long lasting deep green foliage.

No shade garden is complete without this gardening shade flower. Its fragrance is captivating and its shapely leaves last till frost.

A rich, moist, well-drained soil is best.

Keep this shade plant moist after the flowers fade and enjoy the greenery throughout the season.