Grow lilies for summer scent

Lilies are in glorious bloom at the moment and if you place a pot or two next to your front door now, you can look forward to the scent being carried into your house for a few weeks this summer.

You can either buy ready planted bulbs, or think ahead to next year. Buy the bulbs from a reputable nursery in the autumn, look for ones that are scented e.g. the Oriental lilies. As with all bulbs, always buy fresh, smooth bulbs and plant as soon as possible. Dried and shrivelled subjects should be avoided

· Plant in groups of 3 or 5 in a pot of well draining compost, equal parts ericaceous and john innes no.1 compost is the ideal mix
· Partly fill the container with compost to a depth which allows the bulbs to be buried two and a half times their height. Tap the container to settle the compost. Place the bulbs on the surface of the compost, spaced about twice their width apart. The growing tips should face upwards.
· plant bulbs towards the edge as this promotes upright growth. We recommend three bulbs to a 10 inch pot.
· Cover the bulbs with compost and finish about 2.5 cm below the rim of the pot.
· Tilt pots on their sides over winter to prevent them from becoming waterlogged or store under cover, but do not let them dry out completely.
· When in flower always try to water lilies from the base of the plant, if lily blooms get too wet and don’t have time to dry out before nightfall then fungal diseases can occur.
· Dead heading fading blooms is encouraged, but leave all remaining stem and foliage, as this will continue to put energy back into the bulb.
· Feed occasionally with a phosphorus rich fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers work well.
· These lilies should last for several years before they become pot-bound.