Redbuds and Wrens: In search of August Lily Surprise~

We had a big thunderstorm last night, so today I thought I would take a walk around the house to investigate any after affects from the gusting winds and pouring rain.

Pink Dianthus

Hardy Fall Mum

Anemone

Cone Flower

Rose of Sharon

Phlox

Begonia

August Lily Surprise

Resurrection Lily

Magic Lily

Naked Lady

Lycoris 'Squamigera' Spider Lily

Who knew this August bloomer would have so many names? It is an old flower as a member of the Amaryllis family and is native to eastern Asia.

It's a unique flower in that the leaves flourish in early spring, die back and just as you have replaced the old dead growth with something else of color and forget about them, up over night pops this long stalk filled with clusters of lily flowerettes with an amazing aroma of bubblegum! They are practically indestructible!

When my husband and I first aquired this old house, the south side flower bed next to the house was full to the gills with long leafy greens that I assumed were highway orange tiger lilies. My sister, Jean and I worked cleaning out the bed and threw away many of the bulbs without hesitation. After we finished cleaning the bed and admiring the result of our labor, a neighbor appeared and asked a simple question of, "why did you throw out your magic flowers"? We looked at one another and thought, "magic flowers"? "Yes", the neighbor said. They come up in spring as a growth of leaves, they die back and in late July to early August they bloom out as if like magic! I did go retrieve some of the bulbs and plant them back in and luckily I still have some to enjoy as a late summer surprise. Being that they are a unique bulb, it's hard to get a grasp on an equally unique way to plant them to their advantage. So I went on a little garden hunt to see how other folks have used them in their gardens. Instead of, Where's Waldo, let's play a game of, Where's the

magic flower.

None at this home, but they did get a Green Thumb Award from the city.

None here either, but a lovely side track.

Another pretty, well loved side track.

See what I mean, this flower gets planted and planted around and ends up being forlorn in the middle of no where with no creativity to add to it's drama. I am no exception.

Mine are in the back of larger, taller flowers.

I'm going to work on that and try to find a way to give these great flowers their deserving award and show case them as the "Surprise of August" they are!

August 21, 2010 - I was reading and enjoying the posts of other bloggers when I saw this pretty photo.

Naked Lady in the front yard.

A beautiful photo kindly permitted to place amongst the lilies on my blog by the owner,

Susan Barnes Garten of City Gal Moves to Oz Land. A sweet blogger's story of an Ohio girl that moved to Kansas. Thank you Susan. I love your Oz Land blog!

There is a language, little known,

Lovers claim it as their own.

It's symbols smile upon the land,

Wrought by nature's wondrous hand;

And in their silent beauty speak,

Of life and joy, to those who seek,

For Love Divine and sunny hours

In the language of the flowers.

J.S.H., The Language of Flowers, London 1875