If you’re planning your garden for constant color, you might be asking: do lilies bloom all summer? The simple answer is that while individual lily plants do not bloom continuously, you can absolutely design a garden where lilies are blooming throughout the warm season. It all comes down to understanding the different types of lilies and using smart planting strategies.
Lilies are beloved for there dramatic, often fragrant flowers. With a little know-how, you can sequence their blooms from late spring right through to early fall. This guide will show you exactly how to achieve a non-stop display.
Do Lilies Bloom All Summer
To have lilies in flower for months, you need to plant a variety of species and cultivars. Each type has its own bloom window. By combining them, you create a relay of color. Let’s break down the main sequence.
Early Summer Bloomers (Late Spring to Early Summer)
These lilies kick off the show. Asiatic lilies are the first to bloom, usually in late spring or very early summer. They come in a huge range of bright colors and aren’t very fussy about soil. They also lack fragrance, which is perfect for those sensitive to strong scents.
Following close behind are the elegant Martagon lilies. They prefer dappled shade and produce charming, Turk’s-cap style flowers with lots of blooms per stem.
Mid-Summer Stars (The Heart of Summer)
This is when the garden gets really exciting. Trumpet and Aurelian lilies take center stage. Known for their huge, trumpet-shaped flowers and incredible fragrance, they are a classic summer highlight. Orienpet lilies (a cross between Oriental and Trumpet types) also bloom now, offering the best traits of both parents.
- They have large, robust flowers.
- Their scent is powerful and sweet.
- They are generally strong-stemmed and weather-resistant.
Late Summer Finale (Late Summer to Early Fall)
As other flowers start to fade, Oriental lilies make their grand entrance. Blooming from mid to late summer, often into early fall, they are famous for their intoxicating perfume and large, often speckled blooms. They provide that final, spectacular wave of lily color.
Planning Your Continuous Bloom Lily Garden
Here is a step-by-step plan to ensure lilies in your garden from June through September.
- Make a Bloom Calendar: Draw a simple chart for May through September. Mark the bloom times for the lilies you want.
- Shop by Type, Not Just Color: When buying bulbs, always note whether they are Asiatic, Trumpet, Oriental, etc. This tells you their bloom time.
- Plant in Succession Groups: Don’t mix all types in one spot. Plant groups of early bloomers together, mid-summer together, and late bloomers together. This creates impactful waves of color.
- Incorporate Reblooming Daylilies: While not true lilies (Hemerocallis), daylilies are fantastic companions. Many modern reblooming varieties flower repeatedly all summer, filling gaps between lily blooms.
Choosing the Right Lily Bulbs
Always select firm, plump bulbs without signs of mold or soft spots. Larger bulbs typically produce more flowers in the first year. Plant them as soon as possible after purchase, or store in a cool, dark place.
Planting for Success
Lilies need well-drained soil more than anything. Soggy soil causes bulbs to rot.
- When to Plant: Fall is ideal, but spring planting works too.
- Depth: Plant bulbs about three times as deep as the bulb is tall.
- Sun: Most need at least 6 hours of sun. Martagons prefer partial shade.
- Spacing: Give them 8-12 inches apart for good air circulation.
Essential Care for Maximum Blooms
Proper care keeps your lilies healthy and flowering their best each season.
Watering and Feeding
Water lilies deeply once a week, more often during hot, dry spells. Aim at the base to keep foliage dry. Feed with a balanced fertilizer when shoots emerge in spring, and again as the flower buds are forming.
Deadheading and Post-Bloom Care
After a lily flower fades, snip it off to prevent seed production. This helps the plant save energy for next year’s blooms. Crucially, do not cut down the stem or leaves! The green foliage is photosynthesizing and rebuilding the bulb for next year. Let it die back naturally, turning yellow and brown before removal.
Pest and Disease Management
The red lily leaf beetle can be a serious pest. Hand-pick them off if you see them. Good spacing and avoiding overhead watering helps prevent fungal diseases like botrytis. Always clean up dead foliage in the fall.
Design Tips for a Stunning Display
Lilies work best when there part of a larger garden design.
- Layer with Perennials: Plant lilies behind low-growing perennials like catmint or geraniums. The perennials hide the lilies’ sometimes-ungainly lower stems and provide ground cover.
- Consider Height: Place taller Orienpets or Trumpets at the back of borders, with Asiatics in the middle.
- Color Themes: Group complementary colors. Cool pinks and whites for a serene look, or vibrant oranges and yellows for a hot border.
FAQ: Your Lily Questions Answered
Q: Can I get a lily to bloom more than once in a summer?
A: True lilies (genus Lilium) generally bloom once per stem per season. The key is to plant different types that bloom at different times for continuous flowers.
Q: How long does each lily flower last?
A: Each individual bloom may last a week or more, and a stem with multiple buds can be in flower for 2-4 weeks as buds open in succession.
Q: Are there any lilies that actually bloom all summer long?
A: Not a single plant, no. But by carefully selecting early, mid, and late-season varieties, you can create the effect of lilies blooming all summer in your garden.
Q: Do lilies come back every year?
A: Yes, lilies are perennial bulbs. With proper care, they will return and multiply for many years.
Q: What should I plant with lilies for constant color?
A> Combine with long-blooming perennials like salvia, coreopsis, and phlox. Annuals like petunias or marigolds can also fill in gaps and provide color while lily foliage is maturing or after blooms fade.
By understanding the natural bloom sequence of lilies and planning your garden accordingly, you can enjoy there magnificent flowers for a large portion of the year. Start with a few different types, learn how they perform in your specific garden conditions, and soon you’ll have a summer-long parade of stunning blooms. The effort is well worth the reward of walking through your garden each week to find a new lily coming into its glory.