One of my husband's favorite expressions is "gilding the lily," so much so that it has become something of a joke in our family. To gild the lily, of course, is to add something to an item that is already perfect. Did you know the expression arises from a misquotation of a Shakespeare play?
I really kind of like the original expression -- "to paint the lily" -- but there's no going against all these years of misquotation.
The lilies in our yard this summer need neither gilding nor painting. While maybe not perfect, many of our lilies are in glorious bloom right now. There is always a period when the Asiatics and the daylilies are in bloom at the same time, a time of vibrant color in our garden.
I love lilies; they are so carefree. The only problem I have with them is that almost all of my Asiatic lilies must be staked. My yellow trumpets and pale peach lilies, for example, are giants, reaching four to five feet tall. Even the shorter ones need to be staked though, as the weight of the blossoms will cause them to topple. The only other work is entirely self-induced. I deadhead my daylilies every single day. Am I the only one crazy enough to do this? I have old-fashioned varieties, so it does not encourage further blooming. I just don't like the sight of the wilting blossoms.
I thought I would share with you some of the lilies in our yard. If I showed one of each variety, this post would be much too long. This is less than half of the lily varieties we have. (What can I say? I'm a nut for lilies.) I wish I could tell you the names, but I have no idea. Many of them were hand-me-downs.
Linking to:
Bunny Jean's Decor and More Bunny Hop Party
Therefore, to be possessed with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
-- Salisbury in The Life and Death of King John, IV ii
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| double orange daylily |
The lilies in our yard this summer need neither gilding nor painting. While maybe not perfect, many of our lilies are in glorious bloom right now. There is always a period when the Asiatics and the daylilies are in bloom at the same time, a time of vibrant color in our garden.
I love lilies; they are so carefree. The only problem I have with them is that almost all of my Asiatic lilies must be staked. My yellow trumpets and pale peach lilies, for example, are giants, reaching four to five feet tall. Even the shorter ones need to be staked though, as the weight of the blossoms will cause them to topple. The only other work is entirely self-induced. I deadhead my daylilies every single day. Am I the only one crazy enough to do this? I have old-fashioned varieties, so it does not encourage further blooming. I just don't like the sight of the wilting blossoms.
I thought I would share with you some of the lilies in our yard. If I showed one of each variety, this post would be much too long. This is less than half of the lily varieties we have. (What can I say? I'm a nut for lilies.) I wish I could tell you the names, but I have no idea. Many of them were hand-me-downs.
Linking to:
Bunny Jean's Decor and More Bunny Hop Party
