Lilium (x) longiflorum Richmond® - Easter Lily

The Lily 'Richmond', hybrid of Lilium longiflorum and Asiatic (LA) is one of the whitest in its group. This variety offers magnificent, wide, bright white flowers, with a subtle fragrance, facing upwards, very long-lasting in the garden as well as in a vase. The plant blooms in June, on a long sturdy stem that will bear 6 flowers. Its bulb perfectly withstands cold in well-drained soil.

The Lilium 'Richmond' is a horticultural creation by Vletter en den Haan Beheer BV (Netherlands) dating back to 2008. It is a bulbous plant with deciduous vegetation from the lily family. The LA hybrid Lilies (Longiflorum x Asiatic) combine the qualities of Asiatic lilies and the Lilium longiflorum species. Their flowering usually lasts from 2 to 4 weeks in summer, depending on the growing conditions and climate, starting in early or mid-summer. These cultivars offer large, brightly coloured and long-lasting flowers, facing upwards, often slightly fragrant, on strong stems. Their thick petals resist inclement weather well, and their flowering period is long-lasting. They are appreciated for their good vase life and require little maintenance in the garden with well-drained soil. These hybrids are cold-resistant, tolerate sun and partial shade, naturalize easily, and come back every year.

The Lily 'Richmond' produces flowers 20 cm in diameter. The white petals, 11.5 cm long and 6.6 cm wide, reveal a light green throat. On the outside of the petals, a touch of light green is observed at the base, enhanced by a red-brown stripe, while the tips take on a dark green hue. Without spots or papillae, the 'Richmond' flowers have smooth edges, slightly curved upwards. The stamens are filled with brown pollen. The green stems, enhanced with a purplish shade, bear six erect, cup-shaped flowers, with a light fragrance. The long glossy leaves, dark green, are narrow and lanceolate, with parallel veins. The vegetation dries out in autumn, while the bulb goes into dormancy. Lily bulbs are reserve organs with fleshy overlapping scales. Longiflorum hybrid lilies bloom after 12 or 13 weeks of cultivation, they can be "forced" by planting them early in the season in a veranda or a warm room. The soil they are planted in should remain moist throughout the growth and flowering period.

In the garden, you can pair the Lily 'Richmond' with the elegant Hybrid Verbascum 'Southern Charm', whose peach-pink flowers with violet highlights enhance its large white flowers. At its base, the Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' will add a touch of light with its finely variegated cream and green foliage. The Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' and its upright dark purple spikes will structure the composition, enhancing the Lily's whiteness with a deep hue. To complete the scene, consider the Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise' with its lavender-blue flowers. Lilies appreciate being in shade at their feet, and their companions will help prevent the stems from bending in the wind.