"Hi Lily"

 Z IS FOR?

"ZING, ZING, ZING WENT MY HEARTSTRINGS!" ~ when I saw my new lily finally open up its flowers for the first time on Sunday. I fell for Lilium LA Hybrid 'Eyeliner' when I came across mention of her on 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog' last year. Helen has posted about this delightful lily here and more recently here. Not wanting to risk the possibility of being disappointed I placed an order last autumn with Harts - a nursery specialising in the sale of lily bulbs.

Three well packaged bulbs arrived in a cardboard box in the depths of February. Duly planted in a pot (note to self - must plant in a bigger pot next year) there were soon signs of growth. A one woman vigilante patrol was mounted against the dreaded lily beetle, which was successful on the whole, bar one or two little nibbles of the foliage of one bulb. I caught two of the little beasties in the act of munching but no more damage thereafter. I was convinced that the buds might open whilst we were away on holiday but they teased and teased a while longer before revealing their true colours. I am quite smitten.

Zip over to ABC Wednesday for more on the letter Z!