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I have already posted two blogs about my toad lilies and have many more photos of additional varieties growing in my garden. However, I will end with these. All three are quite unusual due to their subdued colours and minimal speckling. Ah, I love them all! (If you want to see more, visit the Photo Gallery page.)  Long stems with small blooms growing directly from the stem. White with no speckles. Fussy.  Long stems with branches of medium-sized blooms. White with small speckles. Hardy.  Long stems with multiple branches of medium-sized blooms. Pastel purple with light speckling. Hardy.
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In my previous post, I mentioned that there are many varieties of toad lilies in my garden. The most numerous is the "futsu" (common or ordinary) variety, which has lovely speckled purple blooms. The other varieties are all in containers, with some requiring a lot of attention and others none at all. They don’t all bloom at the same time, but this fall I've made an effort to photograph the blooms of each variety. Enjoy! (Of these four, the most unusual toad lily is the yellow one in the third photo.)  Long stems with large blooms growing directly from the stem. White with purple mostly towards the center with yellow details. Hardy.  Long stems with multiple branches of blooms. White with large purple speckles. Hardy.  Low growing. Large yellow blooms with speckles. Fussy.  Long stems with multiple branches of blooms. Vivid purple on the ends of alternative petals. Hardy. I'm a bit of a fool for toad lilies. I had never heard of them before coming to Japan but I've been addicted for many years now. I have many varieties in my garden (15?) and I'm always on the lookout for more. Since toad lilies are indigenous to Japan, they thrive despite the extreme summer heat (as long as they aren't in direct sunlight) and the cold winters. Nor are they bothered by the rainy season or the dry summers and pests and diseases largely leave them alone. But best of all, most of my varieties bloom profusely, and I can enjoy their array of colours and shapes for at least a month. Overall, they are a plant-them-and-forget-them type of addition to my garden, returning year after year to fill my garden with colour. Yes, that's my kind of plant! The photos below are what I consider "futsu" (ordinary/common) toad lilies. These are the kind I was first introduced to and bought for my garden. (It's not easy to find toad lilies for sale. I buy mine at farmers' markets or roadside markets out in the country.) This variety grows throughout my garden, thriving whether they’re in the ground or in pots.  Toad lilies growing along side the fence, Osaka, Japan  Toad lilies growing in a pot in my garden, Osaka, Japan As you may know all too well, life does not always go as planned. It has been over a year since my last post, and that was certainly NOT the plan! What happened? Well, life happened, as it does. Mix together some major life changes, some family health challenges, and a whole lot of overwhelm, and there you have it! LIFE – in all its glory! But I'm happy to be back and I have lots to share. Thanks for being here.  The extreme heat of the summer has taken its toll on my garden. Thankfully, there are a few blooms in my garden including this clematis. I love higanbana (spider lilies) but not everyone does. (If you want to know more about how they are viewed in Japan, visit here: https://grapee.jp/en/155319 ) Regardless, every year I rejoice when they show up in my garden. Although they are basically wild flowers, I have managed to grow a few red ones in pots and this year I found some cream-colored ones at a farmers market in Nara. A rare find, indeed! So pleased!  Higanbana in my garden, Osaka  Higanbana in my garden, Osaka |
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I'm a photographer based in Osaka, Japan. I like to share.
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