Lily of the Valley

       Convallaria majalis, Lily of the Valley – VERY fragrant! Blooms mid-April, deer and rabbits avoid it, likes semi-shade to shade, best flowers in semi-shade. Will grow in very poor soils with little water, a very drought tolerant low maintenance plant once established.  Happiest on a well-draining bank with poor soil.  Nice lasting fragrant cut flower, white and pink forms. Zone 3 to 8 (needs chilling hours), native of Europe and central Asia

Family: Asparagaceae

Kissing cousin native to the U.S.A is Solomon’s seal:  Polygonatum biflorum. There is a Polygonatum odaratum ‘variegatum’ in the garden at lake edge in its variegated form.    Another wonderful bee food for the cold winter months as it blossoms from late November until late March, (over six weeks of new blossoms which each last for a month or more!). There are many varieties from stemmed to unstemmed flowers with white, pink, and purple flowers.   Some varieties will naturalize in a well-mannered fashion in shady conditions (here in Northern Virginia). Deer and rabbits ignore it. And best of all (ancient lore) supposed to cure insanity – source of its name. Very long lived and a very hardy survivor.

Family: Ranunculus.   Others in the buttercup family familiar to serious gardeners are the columbine (a native), clematis, anemone, and delphinium.