Henry's Lily

An oldie and a goody. Yellow and apricot shades. 100-250 x 20-30cm. Full sun to semi shade. Flowers M-Lsummer. A lovely Lily with graceful, reflexed petals. The flower is a blend of apricot and orange shades with a soft fragrance. The lofty stems can grow up to 2 metres or more, topped with a candelabra of up to 20 blooms from established bulbs.

Henry’s Lily flowers freely and the bulbs are tough as old boots. An excellent choice for beginners it really is tough as old boots.

Henry’s Lily holds the RHS Award for Garden Merit, so you know it is reliable and tough.

Henry’s Lily flowers open mid to late summer and are good for picking, adding unique colour and form to arrangements. Each bloom is up to 8cm across with textural papillate (bumps) at their heart.

Henry’s Lily is easy to grow. Plant the bulbs into a humus rich, well drained soil in a sunny location. Water them in well and don’t forget to keep them moist in active growth.

You don't need to lift the bulbs every year, just leave them in the ground to multiply. It is a good idea to add some slow release fertiliser or well rotted manure when the foliage appears. Plant with protection from strong winds, as the bulbs establish the stems grow taller and they produce more and more blooms so may require staking.

Lilium henryi or Henry's Lily was named after Irish plant explorer, Augustine Henry who discovered them growing in China in 1888. They were found in limestone gorges which belies their fondness for neutral to slightly alkaline soils.