I have to have scent in my garden at all times of the year, and especially those summer months when we sit with the doors open on the balmy evenings. What pleasure to have the intoxicating scent of lilies planted 30 yards away drifting into the house without having to cut the stems and bring them indoors. Plant as deep as your soil allows, stake if necessary (we have to drive in the support canes in the spring whilst the soil is wet enough to get them in far enough as they have to support tremendous weight), and watch out for the dreaded lily beetle from late April onwards. You will be rewarded with huge stems carrying up to 40 blooms per stem, and after a couple of years each bulb will have bulked up into a lovely clump. My favourites are L. 'Purple Prince' (deep pink), L. 'Orania' (soft yellow), L. 'Anastasia' (pink and white), and L. 'Black Beauty', (pink and white). By planting a clump of each they will flower in succession from early July right through to the end of August. Love them!
