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I know Lilly of the Valley like the shade outdoors. Can they successfully be made into an indoor container plant?

Perennials need the cold treatment, but in the right light, which shouldn't be too hard, and a cold treatment somewhere, (but it could be a shelf in a garage or even an insulated box outside as it wouldn't need light) you could do this...

HG

Good suggestion. I'm a little wary of garages getting too cold up here - I haven't actually checked the temperatures in the winter. Insulated box, though, is a good suggestion. A combination of the two would undoubtedly work. Thanks!

Yea I'm not used to talking to too many gardeners who are colder than me (far more here warmer), so I forget myself (both directions) all the time...

I'd agree the combo looks like a great idea. And you can short many plants on their dormant period and force them early; it would be interesting to see just how early you could get it to go...

Is it hardy for you outside in the ground?

HG

Scott -

I may tamper with forcing sometime. For now, just getting the plants I have through the winter will be the challenge.

Is it hardy for me outside in the ground. I'm not quite sure what you're referring to. The weather or the soil? Both are fantastic. The weather right now is hovering around the low 70s, and luckily lots of sun too (just got sunburned today). The soil up here is the stuff gardeners dream of. The rich, black, loamy stuff. It's almost like potting soil, straight from the ground. I grew up in MD where it's almost entirely clay, and the difference is astounding.

I haven't done any gardening in the ground yet because I live in a townhome and have an association. The only ground I can call my own is covered in a rock mulch and maintained by the association - who has rules about what I can do. So ... mostly this year I'm working with container plants. Thus the conundrum about overwintering.

Thanks for the help!

Ahh, it comes clearer now...

I meant had LOTV been hardy for you outside there... but apparently you wouldn't know, because you haven't been able to try... find someone you know who will let you start a clump and you will always have back-up (pretty prolific plant).

HG

Ah! I got it!

LOTV is apparently very hardy here. After having bought a small plant, I found a whole clump growing wild in the small patch of woods behind our house. If they last in pots, I would love to dig a few up and keep them - 'til I get to a house where I can put them in the ground. Love the smell of those pretty little bells.