Hurricane lilies

I have a red spider lily that is a wonderful plant. The foliage appears in fall and persists over winter. After the foliage dies back, nothing seems to be happening. Suddenly in late summer, a flower stem emerges and the flowers bloom. Sometimes the flowers respond to the rains of late summer hurricanes, and are thus called hurricane lilies. I rather like the name hurricane lily. It reminds me of a strong Southern woman who may go through storms and trials, but comes out with strength and beauty on the other side. My lilies were constantly getting encroached upon by the raspberries, poison ivy, etc., so I moved one little bulb to a spot under the crepe myrtle. It had been there a few years, but had not bloomed. Just a few days ago, I noticed a flower stem and bud. I was quite taken by the pleasant surprise.

 

 

There are some other things in bloom as we start another month.  My sweet potato vine and Wandering Jew are getting along swimmingly.

 

In the planters I'm caring for at church, a few seeds that fell from last year's petunias germinated.  I brought one home, and it is gracing a little pot with a lavender pink.

 

And the angel wing begonia is still full of blooms (just needing a wee bit more nitrogen).

 

 

As you go through life's storms, may you have the grace of the hurricane lily.