In harmony with the Easter spirit, lilies flourish as icons of rebirth and vitality. This season, Style Observer Gardening (SOG) honours the Easter lily, celebrating its role as a symbol of renewal.

In Christianity, the Easter lily is revered as the ‘white apostle of hope’, embodying purity and new beginnings. These themes are poignantly mirrored in the flower’s unique life cycle. Spending years dormant underground before emerging into the light, it serves as a botanical parallel to Jesus’s death and resurrection. Easter lilies are believed to have sprouted from the ground where Christ’s blood and tears fell during the crucifixion, as well as in the Garden of Gethsemane after His betrayal. Today, their elegant, trumpet-shaped petals continue to herald a message of hope and life everlasting, which makes them great gifts for the season.

For those fortunate enough to receive such a gift this year, attentive care is essential to ensure its longevity. For potted Easter lilies, placement in bright, indirect sunlight is key to their performance. Once the flowering season concludes, replant the bulb in your garden at its original depth, watering only when the top inch of soil feels dry. If the lilies are already outdoors, be sure to deadhead them regularly to encourage further blooming and prune any browning foliage. To maintain their vigour, feed them every fortnight with a high-quality, potassium-based fertiliser.

Through attentive care, the reward is a display of spectacular blooms that serves as a poignant reminder of hope and new beginnings.

Happy Easter!

Peace lilies (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Collection of amaryllis (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Peach and white amaryllisPhotos: Garfield Robinson and Thelma McCatty-Cover (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Red and white amaryllis (Photo: Thelma McCatty-Cover)