Peace Lily

One of the many reasons to appreciate living in our sultry subtropical climate is that we have the luxury of planting our houseplants in the ground and watch them thrive more than they ever did indoors. This plant commonly seen in northern homes, offices and shopping malls comes into its own in a garden bed. It forms a lush mound usually no more than 2 or 3 feet tall.

Find just the right spot and don't over-baby it and the peace lily will reward you with snow white flowers nearly every day of the year. You'll soon know if your placement is correct too much sun and the leaves will yellow and turn brown on the tips. There are several varieties available but all have a very similar look. This plant is not a true lily. Lilies are toxic when ingested by pets and humans the peace lily is only mildly so.

Plant in spring, summer, or fall, spacing plants 3 to 6 feet apart. Dig a hole only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. If your soil is in very poor condition, amend the soil you've removed from the hole with a small amount of compost. Otherwise don't amend it at all. Carefully remove the plant from the container and set it in the hole. Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of hole with soil and water thoroughly.