For years, I've had great luck with bulb orders; I've usually received exactly what I ordered. So it is very frustrating when you discover six months later that what you ordered is not what's currently blooming in your garden. This saga all began with Lilium asiaticum 'Forever Susan.' I planted 'Susan' after admiring her in a friend's garden.
When I discovered how overpowering she was visually, I planted some Lilium asiaticum 'Landini' (below) across the path to calm that intense color down. 'Susan' is so prolific I've given bulbs away. I've bought 'Landini' bulbs four times from three different sources. It just doesn't seem to like my garden as it only lasts a season or two.
My latest attempt to add more 'Landini' resulted in this lily.
No idea of its name and it's much larger than 'Forever Susan' and looks out of place compared to my other lilies. Maybe if the 'Fusion' lilies return (below), I should forget the dark color and stick with orange on both sides of the path.
Or maybe I should complement 'Susan' with a different flower altogether; something like Digitalis ferruginea, the rusty foxglove.
Then again, the surprise lily looks rather nice in a bathroom bouquet with my new shower curtain. You have to look closely to see the dark red Astilbe blooms; they almost fade into the fabric design.
(I dragged a green stool into the bathroom to be able to take this picture).
It's a pretty lily, even if not the one you ordered, Linda. The mis-labeled plant problem seems to be occurring more frequently. I first noticed it during the pandemic but, as many nurseries were operating with skeleton crews, I just accepted it. It seems to be continuing, though.
Posted by: Kris P | Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 02:04 PM
Very nice...all the individual blooms and the combinations. Your plans, no matter which you choose, all sound lovely. The arrangement does look fantastic with the shower curtain.
Posted by: Beth@PlantPostings | Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 07:07 PM
Sometimes our gardens like to surprise us - and sometimes it's a wonderful surprise. Hopefully you will hit upon a better placement for those surprises - or maybe you will see them in a different light as you get let go of what you expected to see? That happens to me sometimes.
Posted by: Barbara H. | Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 10:08 PM
How frustrating! One, because of the 6 month anticipation followed by disappointment, and two: Susan is prolific, while Landini is reluctant. But here is the sign of the true gardener: you work with what nature gives you. I love the bathroom bouquet, (not sure about the stepping stool... sounds perilous).
What's your experience with the rusty foxglove? I'm growing one for the first time this summer. So tiny in comparison. Reliably return? Reseed?
Posted by: Chavli | Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 10:18 AM
CHAVLI — The stool was just brought in as a place to hold the bouquet in front of the shower curtain. This is my first time with this Foxglove as well. Hoping for the best, but we're having such a hot dry summer that I won't be surprised at any plant failures. Rain is forecast continually but keeps passing us by. Ugh.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 10:41 AM