Sweet Stargazer Surprise

So, that sweet, shock o' the world, surprise in my 'done flowering for the summer' garden was, indeed, a Stargazer Lily.

Or, I should say Lilies, plural, since each morning I race out there to discover another big fat fragrant flower!

I never intentionally plant such stellar perennials because I live in a hot, dry, high plains desert. Torturous conditions for wimpy beauty queens.

Or, so I thought. Ms. Stargazer being a fine example of me selling myself short. She blossomed in my sunny window easy enough. And, like most of my flowering experiments, once done, she got shoved into the mud with fingers crossed she could survive life in the great outdoors.

Turns out she's tougher than I thought. :))

* I was online this a.m. wondering how hard it is to grow Stargazer Lilies outdoors. Based on the watering, fertilizing + 'feet in the shade/flowers in the sun' yada yada tips it appears difficult but it's not. In fact, I'm not sure that meticulous care is even necessary. I didn't remember she was there so I never even watered her. USDA Zones 3-8. (Meaning she could probably overwinter in a container on your deck no problemo.)