Tiger Lilies, the last of summer’s lilies, are worth the wait. The tall stems never need staking and are topped with up to 20 trumpet-shaped blooms with boldly spotted, reflexed petals and long, prominent anthers.
Orange Tiger Lilies are among the most familiar, old-fashioned flowers. Choose the old favorite, ‘Splendens’, to add blazing red-orange color and cottage-garden nostalgia to your border.
The variety L. tigrinum flaviforum is a rich, buttery gold Tiger Lily with black spots. It blends well with most color schemes and will light up any garden.
Tigers bloom in pastel colors as well. ‘Pink Tiger’ is a clear, soft pink with maroon freckles, a gentle tiger that has a strong constitution. ‘Corsage’, features lovely apricot blooms with cream centers and orange-red spots.
Tiger Lilies are among the most adaptable and long lived summer bulbs. Almost anywhere you plant them they will grow more beautifully each year.
Tiger Lilies are happy in partial shade and so are perfect for any section of a flower bed where shade from overhanging trees would discourage many flowers.
Plant Tiger Lilies on the edge of a garden planted with deciduous trees. They will quickly naturalize and spread, adding a splash of late-summer color to perk up the green landscape.
Since they also tolerate poor soil and hot sun, plant a large group of Tiger Lilies outside the front fence to welcome visitors.
Interplant Tiger Lilies with a groundcover to add interest until the late-blooming Lilies flower. Or, combine them with supporting perennials to underscore their richness.
A thick planting of Lady Ferns will beautify a partially shaded area all summer and provide an elegant setting for the deep red blooms of ‘Red Fox’ or ‘Lady Bowes Lyon’ Tiger Lilies.
In the back of the perennial border, the pale ‘Cream Tiger’ makes a pleasing and refined partner for Helenium ‘Brilliant’. The spots on these tiger Lilies echo the bronze coloring of the Daisy-like flower heads.
The sulphur yellow hues of Tiger Lily ‘Gold Tiger’ anticipate autumn. Plant it with deep blue Monkshood (Aconitum) for a preview of the coming season.
For a tropical, late-summer look, plant several peach-pink, chocolate spotted Tiger Babies in front of a trellis of Passion Flowers ‘Blue Crown.
1. In spring or autumn, carefully dig out an existing groundcover. Set the groundcover plants on a tarp and keep them moist.
2. Loosen the soil to a depth of 30 cm, adding plenty of compost and blood and bone. If the soil is heavy clay, add sand and then rake it smooth.
3. Dig holes three times as deep as the bulbs’ height and 20-25 cm apart. Set the Tiger Lily bulbs in the holes, spreading out the roots.
4. Cover the bulbs and mark each one. Replant groundcover, being careful not to place crowns of plants directly on top of a bulb.
5. Water in well, keeping the area moist until the groundcover re-establishes itself. In early spring, scatter bone meal over the planting.
Tiger Lilies produce bulbils on their stems. Instead of buying more bulbs, save your money and when they turn dark and begin to fall, collect them and plant them 1 cm deep.
When purchasing Tiger Lilies, buy firm, plump bulbs in autumn or early spring. Look for fat, healthy roots and little or no top growth. Avoid soft or moldy bulbs, those with dried-out roots, and any bulbs with considerable new growth from their tips.
Tiger Lilies prefer full sun to partial shade. They bloom well with at least three hours of direct sun a day. They love well-drained soil. Tiger Lilies will rot in soggy soil. While they will grow in poor soil, they do better in rich, moist soil.
Tiger Lilies often carry viruses that can kill other bulbs. Plant them at a distance from other bulbs. When cutting Tiger Lilies, take only the top third of the stem. The rest of the foliage is needed to strengthen the bulb for next year’s blooms.
Plant Tiger Lily bulbs in autumn or spring as soon as they are available to avoid letting them dry out. Keep in a cool, moist place while you are preparing their bed.
In early spring, top dress the planting area with blood and bone or granular fertilizer, when the foliage has emerged. In cold areas, cover emerging leaves with a sheet or tarp if fronts are expected.
In summer, cover the planting area with several centimeters of chopped leaves or rough compost to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and to keep the roots cool.
Tiger Lilies are powerful performers, and their bright colors and exotic forms celebrate the warmth of summer.
