This toad has certainly turned into a prince for me…🐸🌺

I bought one pot of Tricyrtis formosana Stolonifera Group (Toad Lily) from Reighton Nurseries earlier this year.

Tricyrtis is a genus of about 18 plants in the Lily family.

Formosana comes from Formosa which is now known as Taiwan, where the lily is native to.

Stolonifera means this lily will be a bit more vigorous spreading than some others as it spreads by stolons or rooting runners.

So when I got it home, I split my one tub of Toad Lily into many parts & under planted a Paulowina Tomentosa tree I had grown from seed 3 years earlier - which also has some Ophiopogon 'Black Dragon Grass' under planted for evergreen interest as the Toad Lily is a perennial. And of course if you follow me, you’ll know I also planted a few bits in other areas of the garden for comparison against growing conditions as I always do this if possible.

Well I adored the glossy leaves, the dark maroon spots gave interest & I liked the slim but strong & deep coloured stems. The buds arrived about a month ago & I couldn’t believe how many buds there were, I must have over 150 buds from my 1 pot!

I checked on them daily, sometimes twice daily, they weren’t swelling, they were, they halted. It became a running joke with my mum as she had accompanied me in July to RHS Wentworth Woodhouse & the first thing I spotted on the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society Work with your Garden designed by Biggins Hill & built by Yorkshire Gardens LLP was an open Toad Lily. Not the same as the one in my garden, much shorter & white. (One I’m looking for, for my new green & white raised bed currently being made). I was just too excited waiting for them to open, I knew it was a Lily, but it is a hardy perennial that looks like an exotic orchid for outside in my garden!

Anyway, my first one opened, not in my main planting pot, but in one of the test areas on 15/8, I was desperate to post about it then, but I really wanted to wait to see if the others took much longer to follow suit. I’ve been ill for a few of days & not managed to get outside (hence no posts) first check today as I’ve gone out was the toad lilies & two other plants I’m looking forward to showing you. Yes, they’d opened & are looking fabulous, I couldn’t wait until it is a mass of them to share it with you, so you have got the very first taster…aren’t they beautiful?

They grow up to 90cm & like moist shady positions so are fabulous companions for hostas & ferns.

Reighton have really surpassed themselves lately, they’re getting some unusual stock still of the fantastic quality: on quite a few of my social groups I’ve people saying they love my plants but have trouble sourcing the types of plants I have & asking where I buy my things, so now I always add where I have bought something from on a post if possible.

Reighton Nurseries is on the East Coast between Scarborough & Bridlington, it has been there for many years, it’s family run & I’ve used it consistently for over 30 years in my own gardens.

@justmeinmygarden