Few gardeners are immune to the cute factor of miniature plants. But looking from a distance, they lack the presence to really catch your eye. A garden filled with plants that reached no more than two feet tall would be boring. And every garden deserves vertical presence.

Foxtail Lilies

I got my first taste of the towering type with the foxtail lilies. They were absolute stunners the first year, reaching to the sky like golden rockets from a planting area already three feet off the ground. And Eremurus provides instant vertical gratification—provided they’re in the right spot.

Although they require little care once they’re ensconced in the perfect place, species in this bulbous genus are poster children for the rule “location, location, location.”

The second year they provided a show that was less populated; the third year, they didn’t bloom at all. I dug them up and moved them to a spot I didn’t think they’d like because it was less sunny. They’ve been dazzling ever since. What I learned about Eremurus is they don’t like to have their roots disrupted. The bed I had them originally planted in was like a Chicago highway—constantly under construction—throughout the growing season. The original bed happened to be my test area where I planted and removed annuals, perennials and bulbs.

According to Kathie Hayden (Manager of Plant Information Service at Chicago Botanic Garden) Eremurus should be planted in September. Although they might bloom the following spring, it could take up to two years before they settle in. “You can plant Eremurus among all types of perennials,” she said. “However, you should keep them to the back of the border because of their tall heights.”