Named ‘Olympic Heart’ and dedicated to the 2012 London Olympic Games, the striking flower will make its world debut during The Alnwick Garden's exclusive Lily Festival taking place from Friday 8th June until Thursday 14th June.
Blooming uniquely with striking dark red petals and a black heart, and standing 75cm tall, this magnificent flower is sure to make an impact and wow garden enthusiasts as they peruse the abundance of lily breeds on offer. An Asiatic lily, its large, bell-shaped flowers and long lasting blossom make these an essential addition to any garden, and their rich colouring more than make up for their unscented nature.
Our Head Gardener, Trevor Jones, commented:
The lily festival will bring colour and perfume to the Atrium of The Garden. What better flower to herald the summer with such exotic blooms. Lilies are easy to grow in well drained soil by planting good quality bulbs in the autumn. Add a bit of sharp sand to the bottom of the planting hole to help drainage. We will be planting lilies in the ornamental garden this autumn as well as a host of the exclusive Olympic Heart lilies for visitors to enjoy.
Samples of the rare Olympic Heart Lily will be available to view and pre-order exclusively at the lily festival at The Alnwick Garden, and will be delivered from February 2013, once the exclusive bulbs have been bred in their numbers. Following the festival the Olympic Heart will be available to pre-order from Peter Nyssen on 0161 747 4000 and via the Peter Nyssen website by December 2012.