I am guessing that — like me — many members of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society fell in love with Martagon lilies when our former president, Frank Greer, talked about them at one of the many wonderful WHPS presentations he gave over the years. Recently someone wondered what Martagon lilies look like in bloom after I posted a photo of them in bud on the WHPS FB page. That sent me into the garden to capture them as they began to open. The buds are a clue to the color of the flower, becoming more pronounced as they get closer to opening.

I originally planted eight bulbs to see if they liked my garden and now must have more than thirty flower stems.

This peachy-pink variety is Lilium martagon 'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse'

The coloration is quite different on the front and back of the petals which adds to their visual interest.

The original group has increased enough that I have been spreading the bulbs around for the past few years. I thought that orangey color would look well against the warm stucco of the Tea House. I've planted them all down the slope.

This group is Lilium martagon 'Claude Shride'; again you can see the buds announcing the flower color.

I planted five bulbs originally and haven't a clue to how many plants are now blooming in my long border.

The color of this variety is a deep, intense red that looks lacquered it is so shiny. These lilies do not have the strong fragrance of Oriental lilies. But on a warm day, a gentle breeze definitely wafts a delicate fragrance.

This pale-colored variety suddenly appeared among the red flowers last year. I marked their location so I would know where to look for them this year. I think they may be L. martagon 'Guinea Gold'; perhaps a random bulb that has been buried for years and finally made an appearance when it got to bloom size. Who knows. But I plan to move it to an area where it can shine on its own.

In almost twenty years of growing these lilies, I've never had to cage them as the rabbits ignore them. I recently read that your should add lime to the soil when you plant them but I've never done that.