Plant them out in semi shade. Grows like a weed in our garden and we have to remove bucket loads each year. Still keeps on going.

It's case of if they like your garden, they'll spread - but as MG says, they need to be in the soil. Mine are under a Photinia tree, in dappled shade, and they're just getting going after 4 years.

Thankyou for your replies.

As a child in London I remember we had masses of Lily of the Valley growing amongst Wallflowers underneath Lilac Trees the perfume was glorious. However these were well established and, as has been said, the time and place, it would seem, must be right. Because I've had no results with previous attempts I'm still a little nervous of planting out.

I suppose I should be encouraged by Spritzhenry,s plants even if they took
4 years to get going, at least you didn't lose them.

Thanks again.

dreeny8

Good luck with them, Dreeny!

I have 3 pots growing away in the Greenhouse. When the warm days come
back again I might chance a few of them in a shady border with plenty of moisture.
dreeny8

Good luck, I never realised there was any sort of a problem... in any garden we have had they were a thug!

hi Moongrower.
I suspect you may have inherited them. In London our large garden had been there since the 1860's and the trees and flowers most likely too. When i attempted to grow them I was very upset at failure. This is my third attempt and the reason I'm treating them very carefully.
dreeny8

all I can say is my parents moved to a new build a few years after the war. There was nothing in the garden at all, the lily of the valley grew like weeds for Dad too... I'm sure we have ben the ones to plant in some of our gardens but agree the current garden had lily of the valley when we moved in.

Well mine didn't! I bought three tiny paper pots with one 'piece' of rooted plant in for 10p each at the village school May Fair 4 years ago, and a friend up the lane gave me a few more. They have taken, and they are slowly spreading, Dreeny. I really think that yours would be better planted.

If there are any more at the School Fete, I'll buy some for you! :-))) Sorry I can't offer to dig some up from my garden - they haven't spread enough to do that yet.

Spitzhenry, how kind of you.

It occurs to me as youn talk about moving after the war and Lily of the Valley growing like weeds and mine in mum's old garden---could it be the old variety is very hardy and reliable whereas what is available now is a fussy new strain.
dreeny8

Possibly Dreeny - if you would like some of the old fashioned type let me know we can dig some up and send to you!

Morning MG, that is really very very kind of you and if I had something else to fall back on if mine fail that would be just wonderful. As I mentioned these have been in the greenhouse for over a year because somewhere I read they have to be kept inside for two seasons before planting out!!
Dreeny8

Just send me a PM with your snail address and once our thugs have flowered I or Blubaholic will dig some up and send to you.

Ohhhh....MG - how 'could' you call them that! LOL.

Easily... himself is digging another lot up this week to pot up for the local gardening clubs coffee morning and plant sale next Saturday

Wow! You must have a lot, then! :-))) Are they in flower up there?

Just about to - give it a week and 'boing said Zabadee!'

LOL.

As you can tell I'm not very up to date in my reading of GoY but ... My lilies are taking over so can spare quite a few. If you're North London Dreeny8 I won't have to post them! (There every week to child-mind the granddaughters.)

Hello Hazeyboo.
Thank-you so much for your offer, people are so nice on this site.

However, Moongrower has sent me a batch over the past week. This encouraged me to plant my own nurtured LofV lurking in the greenhouse, which I was nervous about putting out...so I have plenty for the time being. All are now looking very happy.

Again, thankyou.

Dreeny8

Hazeyboo check if their is a coffee morning and plant sale coming up in your area and offer to them...