Royal Violet Lily Bulbs

Lilium Oriental Hybrid — Royal Violet. Most “purple” lilies are really plum, or mauve, or pink that has been left in the sun too long. Royal Violet is genuinely violet — a dense, saturated colour that runs from the throat to the very tip of every petal with almost no fading at the edge.

The petals have a soft sheen that reads as gloss in bright light, which is what gives the flower its richness. Blooms are 6–7 inches, three to five per stem, and the fragrance is the full Oriental experience: sweet, thick, best appreciated from a few paces away.

One of the few lilies that looks as good in a vase as it does in the ground. Cut when the first bud is just cracking open.

What you get

• Uniform, saturated violet — colour holds from throat to petal tip.
• Softly glossy petal surface that reads almost luminous in sun.
• Heavy Oriental fragrance; excellent as a cut flower.
• Tall, sturdy 40–48 in stems that rarely need staking.
• Top-size bulbs, perennial in zones 4–9, naturalises well.

How to grow it

• Plant: 6 in / 15 cm deep, 8–10 in apart, in full sun and well-drained soil. Pointy end up. Mark the spot — lilies are late to emerge in spring.
• Water: soak after planting, then whenever the top inch of soil dries. Never let water sit in the hole.
• Light: 6+ hours of direct sun; light afternoon shade keeps the flowers from fading.
• Cold: fully hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Mulch the first winter; no lifting needed.
• After flowering: cut only the flower stems. Let the foliage yellow on its own — that is next year’s bulb being built.

Shipped dormant and cleaned, 14/16 cm top-size bulbs. Dispatch in 5–7 working days, 8–25 working days in transit. Colour depth varies with soil, light and season — the first flower from a fresh bulb is usually the most intense.