While some plants slow down or even stop blooming in the summer heat (can you blame them?), the lilies at Shangri La are going gangbusters! A quick tour around the gardens revealed not only waterlilies blooming but several species in the gardens as well. Starting at the entrance are the new waterlilies procured on a recent trip to Nelson’s Water Gardens near Houston. Among the collection are a few night blooming varieties that are a favorite perch for dragonflies. The recent rains brought out the aptly named but ephemeral Rain Lilies ranging in color from white to pink to yellow (Zephyranthes candida, Z. citrina, and Z. ‘Twinkle’). Also in the courtyard are two varieties of Crinum Lily: the blushing Crinum ‘Ellen Bosanquet’ and our white native C. americanum. At the Frog Ponds the pink waterlilies are laughing at the heat and providing an important nectar source for bees. Further out in the garden another prolific summer bloomer that isn’t actually a lily but bears the common name Lily of the Nile but is in the Amaryllis family (Agapanthus ‘Elaine’) celebrated the 4th with its own botanical fireworks. If anyone ever tells you that nothing blooms in summer, just tell them to consider the lilies!
