A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Beautiful Lilies

Easter morn with lilies fair,
Fill the church with perfumes rare,
As their clouds of incense rise,
Sweetest offerings to the skies.
Stately lilies pure and white
Flooding darkness with their light,
Bloom and sorrow drifts away,
On this holy hallow'd day.
Easter lilies bending low
in the golden afterglow,
Bear a message from the sod
To the heavenly towers of God. -Louise Lewin Matthews

Every holiday has its own cherished traditions that are lovingly passed down from generation to generation. At Easter, these joyous traditions often include egg decorating, gift baskets, chocolate bunnies, local church services, family gatherings, parades, and, of course, the Easter Lily. For many, its beautiful trumpet-shaped blossoms symbolize purity, hope, and life -- the spiritual essence of Easter -- and all the promises of Spring. Now what will we do with these beautiful, fragrant, flowers? While they are still blooming keep them cool and evenly moist. When they start to fade...you'll know when because the leaves start to turn brown and fall off. Now you
plant them outdoors in Spring, where they may bloom again in summer or Fall. The plants will need a site with bright light but some shelter from extreme heat and wind.
Plant the Easter Lily bulbs 3 inches below ground level, and mound up an additional 3 inches of topsoil over the bulb. Plant bulbs at least 12 to 18 inches apart in a hole sufficiently deep so that the bulbs can be placed in it with the roots spread out and down, as they naturally grow. Spread the roots and work prepared soil in around the bulbs and the roots, leaving no air pockets. Water immediately and thoroughly after planting.
As the original plants begin to die back, cut the stems down to the soil surface. New growth will soon emerge. The Easter Lilies, which were forced to bloom under controlled greenhouse conditions in March, bloom naturally in the summer. So, you may be rewarded with a second bloom later in the summer or possibly even the following summer (depending on temperatures and conditions in your area).
Another planting tip to consider is that lilies like their roots in shade and their heads in the sun. Use mulching to help conserve moisture. Or, plant a "living mulch" of shallow-rooted, complementary annuals or perennials. Stately Easter Lilies rising above lacy violas or primulas is so pretty. I have actually just plopped them in the ground, in a hurry, and ignored them...only to have a beautiful lily the next year. Our lilies at Church last for a couple of weeks and then they are place in the cool entryway for anyone to take home. I have always had an Easter Lily. They fill the house with a beautiful Spring fragrance.


Balisha

4 comments:

Barbee' said...

Mmmmm, I can just smell them!

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Lillies are SO lovely but I have never had the nerve to try and grow them. Bulbs are something I must try now that I have a brand new garden.
Wishing you a wonderful Tuesday, Balisha..
(my back yard is BLANK...sigh...lots to do and getting back up once I get down is the hardest part. :)
Mona

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Ok...I KNOW I have already commented..but I went out finally got the nerve to plant some Lilies (if you want to call it that...planting I mean) My poor back was hurting so bad that by the time the holes were dug..and watered well..and the plants were unpotted..and in the holes..my poor back was screaming at me ..so I know I did a horrible job of planting...then...I remembered you saying you had done a terrible job of planting..and came back to re read your post..and sure enough...you DID say that..so..wish me luck, Balisha..because I did an absolutly terrible job of planted my Lilies.
Mona

Anonymous said...

I usually give these to my Grandmother every year & she always plants them in the garden to be rewarded the following year with beautiful blooms. :)