Lilies are among the most beloved bulbous flowers that give us wonderful flowering with their large and impressive lilies. Lily flowers have various shapes and can be found in the form of a cup, bell or trumpet, and they also have many colors from white and pink to orange, red and yellow. Most lilies bloom in the summer and are an excellent choice for planting in a pot, as well as creating a wonderful colorful backdrop in our garden. Lilium lilies are ideal flowers to decorate in a vase in our living room and office, as they can be kept for at least 2-3 weeks, especially if we follow the tips to keep flowers in a vase for more days. Let’s see in detail which are the most well-known types of lilies and what care they need to give us rich, long-lasting flowering in a pot and in the garden. Lilies need a lot of sunshine, with more than 8 hours of exposure to direct sunlight daily to give us their rich flowering. To plant lilies in a pot, we choose a balcony with a south or west orientation. There are some varieties of lilies that bloom in partial shade, but in low light conditions the flowering stems of lilies become thin and weak, and the flowers are smaller in size and do not last long. Lilies to thrive need loose soil that ensures good drainage. For planting in a pot, choose general-purpose potting soil that contains enough perlite.

Buttercup or Renagula is a perennial tuberous ornamental plant that is usually grown as an annual. There are many varieties of buttercups that give us abundant flowering in various colors such as yellow, orange, red, pink and white. Watermelon thrives in light soil that exhibits plenty of moisture, good drainage and aeration. To give longer flowering, we prefer to plant it in sunny places. The buttercup is resistant to cold, while high temperatures contribute to the rapid ripening of its flowers. Before planting, it is good to incorporate manure and compost into the soil or potting soil containing perlite if planting the watercress in a pot. We plant the tuberous roots of the buttercup at a depth of about 5 cm, so that they point down and at distances of 10-15 cm between the plants.

Calla lilies are favorite bulbous plants with striking flowers, the lilies, which usually appear in summer or spring in warmer regions. Native to southern Africa, the calla has large green lance-shaped leaves and abundant flowering with striking trumpet-like flowers and unique colors. The best-known variety of calla is the one with white flowers, it blooms in the spring, on the Feast of the Annunciation, and is therefore often referred to as the lily of the Virgin Mary. It should not be confused, however, with the parthenocrine which has the same name and is a type of lily. There are many more beautiful calla varieties with striking colors such as yellow, pink, purple, red and even purple flowers. The calla needs a cool climate and can thrive both in semi-shady warm places in southern Greece and in sunnier northern areas with a cooler climate. If we plant the calla in a pot on a balcony, we prefer places with a west or east orientation. Calla lilies love moisture, but when planting they need well-drained soil to drain away water. For planting the calla in a pot, we choose a general-purpose potting soil that contains perlite for moisture retention and good ventilation. Calla rhizomes are planted in the spring, making sure that the eyes face upwards during planting. We plant the rhizomes at a depth of about 10 centimeters and at distances of 30-40 centimeters between them.

Begonia, also known as begonia or vigonia, is a favorite ornamental plant that is mainly planted in pots in the yard and on the balcony, as well as in impressive hanging baskets. A low-growing flower, usually reaching a height of 40-50 cm, the begonia is characterized by bright green, glossy foliage and many small pink or white flowers. We choose semi-shady planting locations for the begonia, where it does not get direct sunlight, in order to avoid burns on its foliage and flowers.
Begonia is sensitive to strong sun and intense cold, so we don’t want it to come into contact with cold and hot air currents. We place the pots with begonias in places with good ventilation that facilitate the reduction of humidity and avoid the development of diseases. It is worth noting that begonia varieties with red flowers are more resistant to direct sunlight than begonias with pink flowers, which are more sensitive.

Gladiolus is a bulbous flower that is planted in spring and blooms in summer. It stands out for its sword-shaped, pointed leaves, green in color, and for its impressive flowers, arranged lengthwise on a flowering stem that in some varieties exceeds one meter.

We plant the gladioli in the spring, after the winter frosts have passed. Gladiolus plants grow from a tuberous bulb called a stem and form the flowering shoot. Gladiolus blooms throughout the summer, starting 12-13 weeks after the bulbs are planted. To ensure a rich extended flowering period, we can plant our bulbs in succession in the spring. We choose light, draining, rich and deep soils for planting gladiolus, as it needs a suitable substrate to grow and bloom. We ensure good tillage of the soil and incorporate organic matter with digested manure, compost or black peat. If we plant the gladiolus bulbs in pots, we choose general-purpose potting soil that ensures good drainage. We plant the gladioli in sunny positions, protected from strong winds.