Magic Lily

Once again, my garden has surprised me.  Every year I forget about the magic lilies, which, I suppose, is the whole point.  All of a sudden, one day in late August or early September, there are lilies blooming in the front bed and out near the mailbox.  The flowers are not preceded by leaves, which is why they're such a surprise.  If I remember correctly, the leaves will come up after the flowers are gone, which is completely backwards, compared to every other bulb out there.

The lilies were planted by the former owners of our house, in amongst the daffodils.  I've seen them planted with daffodils elsewhere, too, naturalized in a large wooded area in a public park nearby.  This seems like a smart strategy--they bloom at different times, and having them together makes it less likely to dig them up by mistake.  They sometimes end up traveling together--I think I managed to plant some in the front bed when I separated and moved the daffodils from around the mailbox.

They're a nice development, since the garden is looking somewhat exhausted at this time of year.  It's been mercilessly hot and humid all summer, with very little rain.  These lilies are a welcome sign of life and energy right now.