Description

A true woodland gem, Lilium martagon Claude Shride is a cultivated selection of the turk’s cap lily, bringing deep mahogany-red, recurved petals speckled with orange-gold markings into Irish shade gardens with effortless elegance. Reaching a mature height of 120–150 cm, this lily produces strong, wiry stems topped with up to 20–30 nodding flowers per plant, blooming steadily through June into early July. Its architectural form and vertical movement make it a superb addition to semi-shaded or lightly wooded borders, thriving in humus-rich, alkaline to neutral soil that remains moist but well-drained.

Claude Shride is especially appealing in naturalistic, biodiverse schemes where pollinator support is a goal — the blooms are a hit with bees, particularly long-tongued bumblebees who can access the deep, downward-facing nectar reserves. It blends beautifully with soft textures and foliage-rich companions.

Excellent planting companions include Erythronium Pagoda, Scilla siberica , Fritillaria meleagris, and Crocus tommasinianus as they share similar growing conditions and extend seasonal interest with layered colour and early pollinator support.

Once established, this lily is long-lived and will gently naturalise in place, especially in cooler Irish gardens with dappled light.