So often our happy memories influence the decisions we make. It seems so many garden magazines are featuring “Grandmother Gardens” – with the flowers we remember that our grandparents planted. I remember Grandma Davitt’s deep purple petunias and Grandma Steinhauser had an English Flower Garden and flowers all around her house.
When we were growing up, my Grandma Steinhauser had Lily of the Valley and ferns on the north side of her house. I always loved the way the ferns looked and the lilies smelled. So now I have these two plants on the north side of our house.
These tiny white nodding bell-shaped flowers are so fragrant! Love that smell! They usually bloom in spring and early summer.
Ours are starting to bloom now and will be in full bloom in about a week . These plants prefer shade and moist soil and usually grow about 4-8 inches tall.
The Lily of the Valley plants will usually double their numbers each year, so you will usually need to divide them every 2-4 years. They can be easily divided and transplanted, best done in the fall. When my neighbor needed to divide hers, I dug them up and transplanted them at our house. That was just three years ago, so you can see how fast they multiply.
Find a small vase and bring the beauty and fragrance inside. It is amazing how such a small little flower can have such a powerful scent. If you have Lily of the Valley plants, time to peak and see if they are blooming. Enjoy!
