THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 7, 2023 Page 11 Saugus Gardens in the Summer Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener I t is peak bloom season for many kinds of lilies and daylilies. Many flowers have the word lily in their common names, so it can be very confusing in a discussion. “True lilies” are members of the lily genus (Lilium spp.) in the lily family (Liliaceae). Another somewhat similar looking “lily” blooming now is the daylily, which is a member of the daylily genus (Hemerocallis) and is not even a member of the lily family but of the asphodel family (Asphodelaceae). True lilies have been popular garden plants since prehistoric times, and there are a mind-boggling array of hybrids and horticultural classifications. Asiatic (Lilium asiatica and hybrids) lilies usually have upright facing flowers, and whorls of narrow, pointed leaves grow up the stem leading to the flower. They come in a wide array of colors, but are usually a solid red, pink, orange, yellow or white. True lilies are very poisonous to cats and somewhat poisonous to dogs and people, so great care should be used in bringing them indoors if you have pets. They are not usually eaten by wildlife, but there is a red beetle called the lily leaf beetle that can be a big problem. Quite a few gardens in Saugus have Asiatic lilies blooming now, and the those in the front garden at the First Baptist Church on Main Street are especially attractive. Asiatic lilies typically bloom in June or early July, while other true lilies, such as oriental lilies (Lilium orientale and hybrids), bloom later in the summer. Oriental lilies are often fragrant, sometimes have spots or streaks in the flowers and may be face up or downward depending on variety. In our area trumpet lilies, such as Easter lilies (Lilium longifolium), bloom in early to midsummer, although we often see them forced into bloom in greenhouses in spring. Daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) can often be distinguished from true lilies by the fact that daylilies’ foliage emerges from the ground, while the flower stalk has no leaves or a single short leaf. Most true lilies have several leaves growing in whorls up the stem, with flowers blooming at the top. There are about 16 species of daylilies, and like true lilies they are popular with hybridizers who have produced a wide array of cultivars. We often see tawny daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) blooming at this time of year, early to mid-July, and some popular cultivars, such as ‘Stella D’oro’ and ‘Happy Returns’ produce new flowers throughout the growing season. Tawny daylily, with its bright orange flowers, is easy to propagate and will spread somewhat on its own. The repeat-blooming cultivars tend to remain compact plants. While orange and yellow are the most common daylily colors, there are varieties which can be bright red, pink, and even purple. Among the showiest flowering trees we can grow are the two North American catalpa species, with their large panicles of white flowers and Orange and deep pink lilies bloom on Main Street at the First Baptist Church of Saugus. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) ‘Stella D’oro’ daylilies bloom all summer at the entrance to the grounds of Imperio Mariense on Lynn Fells Parkway. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) huge heart shaped leaves. Not usually found wild in New England, both northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) and southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) are very similar in appearance. They both bloom in late June to early July. Unlike most of the showy flowering trees we see in gardens, these trees can become very large –around 60 feet tall. Once the flowers go by, long beanpod shaped fruits develop. They are not actually members of the bean family (Fabaceae), however, and when the pods open the small fringy, winged seeds are very different from those of the beans, peas and other bean family members. Both species sometimes self-sow. Neither are often found in nurseries in our area. The Saugus Public Library’s parking lot has a catalpa where it meets Taylor Street, and another can be found near the corner of Lynn Fells Parkway and Forest Street near the turn for Breakheart Reservation. Catalpas are members of the Crossvine family (Bignoniaceae), and most of their close relatives are tropical woody plants. Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town” shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was inspired after seeing so many people taking up walking. A cluster of catalpa blossoms nestles in the heart-shaped foliage. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) A hybrid daylily blooms through the rain under the Breakheart Reservation sign. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) Daylilies bloom at the base of the Breakheart sign while in the background a catalpa tree shows white flowers. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener)
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