Remembering Lily of the Valley

They love Lily of the Valley in France and have a festival day named after it. I used to get handed sprigs of it at the end of a supermarket shop and in a restaurant on May 1st. (Just the ladies, of course.) Lovely fragrance.

It will probably come through the tarmac!

An elderly friend gave me a large clump to plant in my garden 40 years ago. I split it in half and gave half to my neighbour next door. Hers flourished whilst mine all died.
My friend died 20 years ago and so did my neighbour a few months later. Her house was empty for 6 months prior to sale so my husband kindly nipped over the fence and dug up 6 plants for me to put in our garden.
They have spread like wildfire I'm pleased to say as I love to see them in the spring and they are a nice reminder of my dear friend.
Good job we rescued a few as our new neighbours spread tarmac over the area where they grew to allow for extra parking.

I love Lily of the valley, but not in my garden!

Some managed to establish itself in my garden a few years ago (no idea where it came from).
At first, I was really pleased, but within a couple of years it had become an uncontrollable weed, growing between the paving, amongst the roots of shrubs, and spreading out into the lawn - everywhere.

I decided it had to go, but my goodness, it took some doing.

Maybe I should have removed all the other plants instead, and set up a business selling the Lily of the Valley!

I know talcum is not fashionable now but I often buy one smelling of lily of the valley. Maybe you can buy some in Australia.

I was given some by a neighbour for a new bed. They haven't flowered yet so maybe next year. I love the scent. I'm another one who didn't know they were poisonous. Thank you for the information.

‘All parts of the plant are potentially poisonous, including the red berries which may be attractive to children. If ingested, the plant can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and irregular heart beats’.

I didn’t realise lily of the valley was poisonous I had some in my wedding bouquet they do have a beautiful scent.

I have a whole garden ful in the front of my house a beautiful looking flower a beautiful perfume BUT all parts highly poisonous
First the bluebells take over my garden and as they die the lilies of the valley start arriving

I have it in my garden; it is one of my favourites for spring. I'm not sure of your garden climate zone, but can you order some plants for your garden? That way you can enjoy the sweet scent every year.

They make such nice posies. I use a champagne flute as a small vase. Beautiful.