| Popis: |
Lilium is one of the horticulturally most important genera for cut flower and pot plant production. However, it has always played a special role in garden design: lilies are represented in the frescoes of Minoan palaces, grew in the gardens of Mesopotamia, were a favourite plant of the Moghuls and were cultivated in Roman gardens. During Christendom, L. candidum was associated to the Virgin Mary, and was one of the few ornamentals grown in the Hortus Conclusus. The lily was the central feature in the garden, from the formal XVII century parks to the landscape garden of the XVIII century, and species like L. candidum, L. longiflorum, L. bulbiferum and L. auratum were considered important for the theories of the wild garden in the XIX century. After 1910, the introduction of new types from Asia, the interest in these hybrids developed from genera native to Asia grew even more. The great potential of lilies in garden design lies in the great number of species that can be adapted to many environments of garden. Moreover, the flower colours, the scent and the cultivar choice can guarantee a continuous flowering from spring to autumn. Last but not least, the use of Lilium cultivars for urban decoration can be of great interest: examples of city gardens with dwarf lilies can be found, for example, in Amsterdam. The introduction and evaluation of new cultivars suitable for urban environment might interestingly extend the choice of ‘urban lilies’ to other parts of Europe. |
