Easy-going lilies for summertime

Knock out colour
Alstroemerias are easy to grow, long-lasting perennials that send out leafy stems with clusters of flowers at the end of each stem. The flowers come in brilliant colours; yellow, red, orange, purple, white or pink with a yellow throat and dark flecks on the inside petals. In other words, dramatic! 

Flowers all summer long
They provide an unbroken display of flowers from September through to March, and even longer in warm, sheltered gardens. 

Pickable
They are perfect cut flowers as well because they last well in the vase. Because they produce such as wealth of flowering stems, you can cut for the home and still have plenty of flowers for the garden. The flowers a attract bees and other pollinating insects. 

For all kinds of gardens
Over recent years, plant breeders have introduced many spectacular new alstroemeria varieties for every type or garden, larger or small. Plants are more compact and give outstanding garden performance, including varieties that are especially suited to growing in pots.  

Here’s what is on offer: 

Alstroemeria ‘River Valley’ is the most compact alstroemeria you will find. It only grows 30cm tall. Besides its large, deep pink flowers it has  striking cream and green variegated leaves. It is ideal for edgings and borders as well as in pots. 

Alstroemeria “Summertime” is named for its soft pastel shades of pale yellow and peach. This is another compact variety that grows 40cm high and wide. It is also good for beds and borders, even in front of roses.  

Alstroemeria ‘Summer Paradise’ is a range of taller garden varieties, 60cm high and wide, with a range of flower colours that stand out against the lush dark green, almost black leaves. Plants remain compact and dense, unlike the older varieties that tend to fall over and need staking. Removing the dead flower stems leaves room for new stems to come through. Varieties to look out for are ‘Indian Summer’(orange and yellow), Summer Party (pink with yellow throat), Summer Red,  Summer Breeze (yellow), Holiday Valley (orange red), Summer Break (deep pink edged petals) and Summer Snow (white) .  

Alstroemeria ‘Inticancha’ is a strong growing pot alstroemeria that is very free flowering.  Although bred as a pot alstroemeria, ‘Inticancha’ can also be grown in the garden, its main attraction being that it is shorter and has a denser growth habit than the traditional varieties. It comes in 20 different colours, mostly bicolours with contrasting-coloured throats.  

Growing tips

• Find a position that gets plenty of morning sun, or at least six hours of sun a day. They need sun to flower well. Container plants do best with morning sun and afternoon shade. 
• Plant in fertile, organically rich soil that drains well. Avoid clay or heavy soil. Adding compost will improve drainage and fertility. 
• Plants require moderate watering and should not dry out completely and regular watering. Water container plants more often, even daily in midsummer. 
• Feed garden plants once a month with a granular fertiliser, like Ludwig’s Vigorosa, during spring and summer. Container plants will do better with a liquid plant food, like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger, once a month 
• Dead flower stems can be removed by ‘pulling’ the flower stems carefully from the bottom of the plant. The ‘wound’ caused will help to initiate the next flowers. 

• Protect from frost with a thick bark mulch that’s applied before the first frost. In some areas, the plants will die down over winter but will sprout in spring.  

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