Lilies!

Hurray, it is lily time in our gardens. Yes, the lilies bring on a plethora of colors during this summer period. You can see the great orange display from the tiger lily above. Lilies have been cultivated throughout the ages. In ancient Greece, the lily was the flower of Hera, goddess of woman.

Below is one of my favorite lilies. It is the Stargazer Lily (Lilium orientalis). These captivating flowers are known for their irresistible fragrance. Its blossoms present a truly spectacular display. This lily was the flower chosen by our youngest daugther, Sarah, for her wedding.

The Stargazer lily was created in 1978 by Mr. Leslie Woodriff, a lily breeder in California. It is an oriental hybrid lily which he called Stargazer because the blooms faced the sky. Is now fairly common all over North America. Beware you cat lovers – the ASPCA reports that this plant is indeed toxic to cats.

This lily is so great on the olfactory senses! I always have a joy in persuading others to share in the sweet odor. I have a second pleasure in that when one smells the blossoms, the person always comes in contact with the stamens and the orange pollen stains the nose of the “smeller”. It is remarkable how barely touching the stamens will leave a very obvious orange mark on one’s proboscus.