In Focus:Lily Of The Valley

Lily Of The Valley

Lily of the valley, sometimes written lily-of-the-valley, scientific name Convallaria majalis, is a sweetly scented, highly poisonous woodland flowering plant that is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, and Europe. Wikipedia
Scientific name: Convallaria majalis
Rank: Species
Higher classification: Convallaria

A beautifully scented perennial plant that can be found In most gardens and flowers at this time of the year, Firstly the leaves pop up and then the flowers appear, White bell like flowers with the beautifully fragrant smell. Lily Of The Valley spreads by Rhizomes under the soil and if not kept in check can be very invasive and quickly spread to areas of the garden you do not want it too. The best way to avoid this is to have a pot or trough and sink it into the ground, then plant the Lily Of The Valley into the area made made to pot or trough. This will prevent the rhizomes spreading to far and keep them in the area that you want. Of course this will work with anything else that can be quite invasive. The plant like alkaline soils according to the experts, although it will grow pretty much anywhere and will tolerate partial shade, In fact it prefers the shade and likes warm summers. It ca be found in the wild in mainly woodland areas. It will grow in really dark spots although the flowering will probably be restricted.
It is recommended that you don't eat any part of the plant, It is very poisonous and I would ask you to wash your hands after handling the plant or wear gloves. Or perhaps try not to eat it.. All I say is treat it carefully and you will be just fine.
To propagate the plants is actually relatively easy, once the plant leaves begin to die away the ground around the plants can be dug to fine the rhizomes under the ground. They will not be very deep and are easy to find, once found the roots can be lifted and separated where the foliage is dying back and planted on. I have also found that the roots will sprout as well once separated from the main plant. 

Above is one of the plants that I did last year and is already flowering. So if i can do it then you can do it too.  Below is the the trough I filled with plants that were propagated last year.