Lily ‘Forever Susan’

* Common name: Asiatic lily ‘Forever Susan’

* Botanical name: Lilium ‘Forever Susan’

* What it is: A hardy bulb with stalks of dark-green, bladed foliage that produce upward-facing tubular flowers of showy dark burgundy with bright orange tips and highlights. Blooms in June and July. Bulbs produce and expand each year without having to dig and store inside as with dahlias or gladioli.

* Size: 30 to 36 inches tall, plant bulbs 6 inches apart.

* Where to use: Grow toward the back of a sunny perennial border or interplant between and among shrubs. Lilies also grow well in sunny pots. Avoid wet soil.

* Care: Snip off flower stalks down to the foliage after flowers fade. Let remaining foliage alone until frost browns it, then cut it to the ground or at the end of winter. Rabbits often favor lilies, so you may need to protect them with a wire cage or a repellent. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, granular organic fertilizer. Bulbs can be dug and divided in early fall.

* Great partner: Plant between or among golden junipers or goldthread cypress. Coreopsis ‘Golden Gain’ and euphorbia ‘Bonfire’ are good perennial partners. Golden or yellow roses pair well color-wise and bloom at the same time. Interplant with daffodil bulbs.