Lily of the Valley
Joyce Goldenlily
Posts: 2,933
I have tried so many times to grow lily of the valley in previous gardens, unsuccessfully.
I was given a tray of pips to grow on for my daughter's wedding 6 years ago and I now have a patch of them growing in a North facing, dark, damp corner.
I planted them in a wedge shaped raised bed in the corner of a stone wall but the soil level has dropped about 12ins, mainly because the cats use it as a thoroughfare.
I want to top up the soil but am unsure of whether to just add extra soil on top of the plants, will they be happy to work their way up to the surface again or whether to lift the plants, dormant at the moment, top up the soil level and then replant as I do not want to lose them.
I noticed when I grew them initially that they spread out sideways, just under the surface of the soil so presumably do not like to be planted deeply.
Perhaps that is where I went wrong originally.
Posts
I think I'd top the level up gradually with leafmould rather than soil. The seem happiest in places where they're covered with fallen leaves every autumn, and they push their way up through the leafmould that forms over and around them
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you. There is an ash tree growing above mine so maybe that is why they are happy.