Top 10 lilies

Lilies look fantastic when grown en masse
Image: Giant Oriental Lily Collection from T&M

There are more than 2,000 types of lily, and these glamorous blooms are a wonderful way to add scent, colour and drama to your summer garden. From spectacular 10 feet high tree lilies to low, ground-cover varieties that help to suppress weeds, there's an option for every garden. Best planted between October and March, lily bulbs do well in sunny flower borders or containers. Here are ten of our team's favourites.

1. Lily 'Perfume Garden' Series
2. Lily 'Belvedere' (Pollen Free)
3. Lily 'Scoubidou' (Pollen Free)
4. Lily 'Best Regards' (Pollen Free)
5. Tree Lily 'Monet'
6. Tree Lily 'Crystal' Collection
7. Tree Lily 'Pink Explosion'
8. Lily 'Forever Susan'
9. Lily 'Black Jewel'
10. Glory Lily - Gloriosa superba

Browse our full range of lily bulbs for more inspiration and read our guide to growing bulbs for helpful planting tips.

1. Lily 'Perfume Garden' Series

These mid-height oriental lilies come in a variety of colours
Image: Oriental Lily 'Perfume Garden' Series from T&M

It's hard to go wrong with the Lily 'Perfume Garden' Series: in fact they're so easy to grow that they come with a guarantee! Reaching a height of 40cm, these beginner-friendly blooms can be grown in the ground or a patio container without the need for support. The mix includes pink, white and red flowers, some with spots and some with stripes.

2. Lily 'Belvedere' (Pollen Free)

These cream-coloured double flowers glow in the evening light
Image: Lily 'Belvedere' from T&M

Lily 'Belvedere' is a pollen-free variety that reaches 100cm tall and is ideal for cutting – no more mess under your vase. Producing generous clusters of large creamy-coloured blooms, this exquisite Easter x Asiatic hybrid becomes a real showstopper as dusk falls. It can be grown in sun or part shade, is fully hardy, and returns reliably year after year.

3. Lily 'Scoubidou' (Pollen Free)

FThese vibrant orange, upwards-facing double blooms are ideal for cutting
Image: Lily 'Scoubidou' from T&M

Asiatic varieties like Lily 'Scoubidou' are prized for their striking colours. These zingy orange flowers blaze against their glossy deep green foliage, filling beds, borders and patio containers with sensational splashes of the most vibrant blooms. Perfect for cutting, the long stems look just as good in a vase as they do in the garden.

4. Lily 'Best Regards' (Pollen Free)

The bright pink petals of Lily 'Best Regards' make a show stopping statement
Image: Lily 'Best Regards' from T&M

The glorious cerise pink trumpets of the fabulous Lily 'Best Regards' are a florist's dream. With elegant flowers that won't drop or stain, this oriental variety makes a superb centrepiece in a vase or scented bouquet. Boasting one of the longest vase lives, the stems are best grown in full sun and reach a height of 120cm.

5. Tree Lily 'Monet'

Large double pastel pink blooms make this a popular favourite
Image: Tree Lily 'Monet' from T&M

The pastel pink double blooms of Tree Lily 'Monet' are beautifully fragrant and last twice as long as standard tree lilies. Growing up to 6ft in their first year, and even higher in subsequent years, they make a fantastic scented hedge or screen, and the tall stems are good for cutting too.

6. Tree Lily 'Crystal' Collection'

These three beautiful tree lilies beautifully complement each other
Image: Tree Lily 'Crystal' Collection from T&M

A real buzz plant of recent times, tree lilies are easy to grow, quick and reliable. For something a bit different to the usual trumpet-style varieties, give the Tree Lily 'Crystal' collection a go. Including 'Monet', 'Cezanne' and 'Picasso', the double flowers in this collection have an enticing fragrance and last a long time. They're also pollen-free so won't stain your clothes or furniture.

7. Tree Lily 'Pink Explosion'

The unusual backward curling petals of 'Pink Explosion' are very distinctive
Image: Tree Lily 'Pink Explosion' from T&M

Tree Lily 'Pink Explosion' has unusual, backward curving pink petals and a divine fragrance. Each bulb produces up to 30 blooms and the plant grows to 8ft tall in as little as 2 years. Over time, it develops a shrub-like appearance with lush foliage, and the sturdy stalks are so strong that they don't need staking. Whether you grow yours in borders, against walls or in large patio pots, once planted they look after themselves.

8. Lily 'Forever Susan'

These richly-coloured burgundy and orange petals make a bold feature
Image: Lily ´Forever Susan´ from T&M

Unusual and dramatic, Asiatic Lily 'Forever Susan' has striking burgundy petals edged with brilliant orange. Blooming from early to mid-summer, it looks fantastic planted en masse in a patio container or arranged in large swathes through the middle of a border. If you can bear to cut the exquisite flowers, they make a glamorous display for a vase.

9. Lily 'Black Jewel'

Velvety black petals add texture and drama
Image: Lily 'Black Jewel' from T&M

Lily 'Black Jewel' is a dramatic addition to beds, borders and containers. The large, purple-black flowers are amongst the darkest available, providing a luxurious counterfoil for other brightly coloured blooms. Growing to a height of 75cm, they work well in smaller spaces where they lend a glamorous feel to contemporary planting schemes.

10. Glory Lily - Gloriosa superba

These multi-coloured blooms resemble flames
Image: Glory Lily (Mixed) Seeds from T&M

For something a bit different, the Glory Lily mix is fun to grow from seed. An easy to grow exotic climber, these lily-like flowers resemble burning flames and create an eye-catching feature on an obelisk, wall or fence. Blooming from July to September, it lights up your summer garden. Grow in a container and move under cover in winter to protect this tender perennial from frost.

We hope you've enjoyed our pick of the best lilies to grow at home. If you'd like more information about growing summer flowers, head over to our advice hub page.