"Lily of the
Valley"—Regal, yet simple!
Is that
Grandma Mary’s perfume I smell… or are lilies of the valley in full bloom? The fragrance of lilies of the valley is
quite distinctive—different from the scent produced by other lilies. You may love the intense aroma (or not!) but
either way, you likely can identify Convallaria
majalis simply by its scent.
The lily of
the valley loves shady areas and thrives as a woodland plant. It is extremely prolific and sends out
underground rhizomes forming a thick
mesh beneath the soil level, as well as stolons
above ground. When digging lilies in
early spring to share with a friend, you may be surprised that these dainty,
delicate blossoms are supported by a tenacious network of rhizomes and roots,
often 12” deep. You will need a SHOVEL in
order to share—not a hand trowel!
In spring
2011, lily of the valley received special attention in England when Kate
Middleton decided her bridal bouquet
would follow an old royal tradition and be comprised primarily of lily
of the valley, in lieu of more exotic plants.
Kate’s bouquet was reminiscent of a simple, olden-days country wedding. Lily of the valley grows well in the United
Kingdom (as well as in some parts of the USA), and Kate made her decision to
utilize British-grown flowers in her bridal bouquet. Lily
of the valley can be grown easily in the Southeastern Wisconsin region; you
need a bit of shade, a bit of space, and a few rhizomes from a friend or
nursery.
NOTE: If you have small children,
please remember the lilies’ leaves, flowers and
late-season orange berries are quite toxic, so please plant where they would
be inaccessible to curious children.
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