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Lily Of The Valley: Flowers, Bulbs And Transplanting
By:
Published: May 11, 2007
Fairy tales and pixie dust seem to grow in the hardy roots of the Lily of the Valley. The small white bell-shaped flowers create the perfect home for a sleepy fairy and a make believe magical kingdom. The Lily of the Valley is a pristine white bell-shaped flower that is native to Europe.
Lilies of the Valley are perennial flowers, which means that they can last for quite some time. Unlike many other flowers, the Lily of the Valley flourishes in shady, cool areas away from the direct sunlight.
The Lily of the Valley only stands about 30 centimeters tall from the long single stem that is surrounded by two large leaves. Its leaves cleverly curve in towards the flower to gently cup rainwater and dew for the water-drinking stem. Though they appear delicate and fragile, the flowers are very sturdy and strong. Once lily bulbs are planted, gardeners find that the Lily of the Valley spreads quickly and is difficult to remove. In some areas, the flower is considered a weed because of its ability to multiply and steadfast roots. The Lily of the Valley is probably the prettiest weed around, if that is the case.
Many people enjoy the Lillies of the Valley because of their sweet fragrance and pretty looks. Aside from the traditional single stem of white bell-shaped flowers, this particular lily has been bred to bloom with double stems of flowers, pink rose-colored buds, and larger varieties. Since these little flowers are sturdy, they are an excellent way to fill a long flowerpot for the spring season. The beauty and fragrance of these flowers will last all season.
As with most flowers, when transplanting Lily of the Valley a gardener must take care to fertilize the new hole well. Peatmoss or compost are two of the best ways to help the lilies of the valley flourish when planting lily bulbs or young Lily of the Valley. Like humans, they need food and water to survive. Fortunately, the Lily of the Valley is an easy flower to divide up, which makes transplanting it fairly simple if the gardener keeps the strongest roots. The best times of year to transplant Lily of the Valley is during the spring and fall season. Gardeners should be sure to plant Lilies of the Valley in cool, shady areas, as the flowers love to stay out of the sun.
Besides creating a pleasant aroma and serene sight, the Lily of the Valley has also been used in medicine. Interestingly enough, the flower was actually used in WWI to treat victims of mustard gas. Care must be taken when using the flower as a medicine, since an overdose can result in poison. Who would have thought that such a pretty flower could potentially be so dangerous?
So the secret of the Lily of the Valley is that the delicate looking plant is not really so delicate. It has proven itself to have been useful in a war as well as create a blissful fragrance in a garden. The dainty little fairy home is definitely more than just a fairy's home.
Sources
“Lily of the Valley.” Wikipedia. 7 May 2007. 9 May 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley
Lily of the Valley. WiseAcre Gardens. 9 May 2007. http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/perennial/l ilyvalley.html
Lily-of-the-Valley. Botanical.com. 1995-2007. 9 May 2007. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/lilofv23 .html
Donna. “Gardening Tips: Lily-of-the-Valley is a Hardy Shade-Loving Perennial.” Associated Content. 5 Feb. 2007. 9 May 2007. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/136746/ga rdening_tips_lilyofthevalley_is_a.html
Dividing and Transplanting Perennials. CountryGardensInc.com. 9 May 2007. http://www.countrygardensinc.com/countrygardens/tr nsplntpernl.htm
The Lily of the Valley only stands about 30 centimeters tall from the long single stem that is surrounded by two large leaves. Its leaves cleverly curve in towards the flower to gently cup rainwater and dew for the water-drinking stem. Though they appear delicate and fragile, the flowers are very sturdy and strong. Once lily bulbs are planted, gardeners find that the Lily of the Valley spreads quickly and is difficult to remove. In some areas, the flower is considered a weed because of its ability to multiply and steadfast roots. The Lily of the Valley is probably the prettiest weed around, if that is the case.
Many people enjoy the Lillies of the Valley because of their sweet fragrance and pretty looks. Aside from the traditional single stem of white bell-shaped flowers, this particular lily has been bred to bloom with double stems of flowers, pink rose-colored buds, and larger varieties. Since these little flowers are sturdy, they are an excellent way to fill a long flowerpot for the spring season. The beauty and fragrance of these flowers will last all season.
As with most flowers, when transplanting Lily of the Valley a gardener must take care to fertilize the new hole well. Peatmoss or compost are two of the best ways to help the lilies of the valley flourish when planting lily bulbs or young Lily of the Valley. Like humans, they need food and water to survive. Fortunately, the Lily of the Valley is an easy flower to divide up, which makes transplanting it fairly simple if the gardener keeps the strongest roots. The best times of year to transplant Lily of the Valley is during the spring and fall season. Gardeners should be sure to plant Lilies of the Valley in cool, shady areas, as the flowers love to stay out of the sun.
Besides creating a pleasant aroma and serene sight, the Lily of the Valley has also been used in medicine. Interestingly enough, the flower was actually used in WWI to treat victims of mustard gas. Care must be taken when using the flower as a medicine, since an overdose can result in poison. Who would have thought that such a pretty flower could potentially be so dangerous?
So the secret of the Lily of the Valley is that the delicate looking plant is not really so delicate. It has proven itself to have been useful in a war as well as create a blissful fragrance in a garden. The dainty little fairy home is definitely more than just a fairy's home.
Sources
“Lily of the Valley.” Wikipedia. 7 May 2007. 9 May 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley
Lily of the Valley. WiseAcre Gardens. 9 May 2007. http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/perennial/l ilyvalley.html
Lily-of-the-Valley. Botanical.com. 1995-2007. 9 May 2007. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/lilofv23 .html
Donna. “Gardening Tips: Lily-of-the-Valley is a Hardy Shade-Loving Perennial.” Associated Content. 5 Feb. 2007. 9 May 2007. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/136746/ga rdening_tips_lilyofthevalley_is_a.html
Dividing and Transplanting Perennials. CountryGardensInc.com. 9 May 2007. http://www.countrygardensinc.com/countrygardens/tr nsplntpernl.htm
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