Nerine Lilies have got to be on the list of easiest bulbs to grow. A good friend up the street (DP) has designated a cutting bed just for Nerines.
Nerine Lilies aren’t lilies at all. They come from the Amaryllis family via South Africa, which has weather fairly similar to ours here in Victoria.
Seriously.
Remember, we’re on mild Southern Vancouver Island in BC, Canada– zone 7-9.
Last January, a snowstorm brought temperatures to a threatening -15 C (5 F). DP’s Nerine Bowdenii are sheltered close to her house foundations in a west-facing bed– protection from the worst of the cold.
Clever.
This year, the leaf of her Nerines emerged in early February, a delight, along with some early daffodils. It’s exciting to see any new growth during our cloudy winters.
The strappy leaves grew & that seemed to be it.
Even by mid-August, it was just a bed of leaves.
Underwhelming.
The leaves started looking tired in early September, BUT budding stems were shooting out of the ground. With so much summer colour already fading, the promise of new flowers gives hope.
Within two weeks, the perky pink flowers were opening. 🙂
Their leaves were fading fast, but the patch of flowers continued through all of October. Even through the rain. (Although these flowers are so close to the foundation that the overhanging roof might have protected them from some of the wet.)
A cutting bed isn’t the showiest way to display blooms, but it serves a purpose. There’s no expectation for it to be a constant showpiece. This one is around the side of the house. DP can plunder the blooms guilt-free. She adds several stems of these firework flowers to each bouquet of her pale pink pompom Dahlias — such a striking, and long-lasting combo.
And the best part? Maintenance is minimal.
- Nerines are deer-resistant, so there isn’t the constant fuss about protecting them from our roaming neighbourhood herds.
- Pulling the occasional weed keeps down the competition.
- A bit of automatic irrigation from May through September is appreciated. Most systems run at an inch per week, but even less will be fine.
- The leaf dies back in the autumn & by mid-November, the naked stems & seedheads collapse at first frost. The only chore is to cover the bed with a blanket of leaf mulch.
- When they are really comfortable, Nerine bowdenii multiply like crazy. Still, they perform well even when crowded. After several years, dig & divide, shifting & gifting the excess before mulching your treasures.
Easy peasy.
Right?
In truth, I’ve yet to succeed with Nerines in our garden.
BUT I think there are a couple of reasons why:
- It is very dry in Victoria for months in the summer & I barely water our borders.
- Most of our beds get soggy during our rainy winters.
- Happy Nerines in our area are irrigated AND in raised beds… or in sandy soil… or on slopes that drain quickly.
- Nerines also need a shallow planting with their shoulders exposed to light.
Those are a few ways that I could’ve screwed up. Too little water in summer… too much water in winter… or too deep for planting. 😦
Overall, if your nerines are performing well — you’re in the pink.
Easy peasy. 🙂
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