Torch Mount

Torch lilies are clump-forming perennials with tall, narrow flower spikes that look like lit torches. Their common name, red hot poker, comes from the shape and colour of the blooms, which open from the bottom of each spike upward. They are not true lilies, but the name is used in most gardens and parks.

This almanac follows a single clump through the four seasons. Each season page covers what changes in the plant, what to look for in its leaves, crown and spikes, and the small jobs worth doing at that time of year. Timing shifts with the weather and the place you live, so the pages describe the order of events rather than a fixed calendar.

What you find here

• Season pages for spring, summer, autumn and winter, each with the months it covers
• Short guides on single jobs, such as dividing a crowded clump
• An about page that sets out what the almanac covers and what it leaves out

Start with the season you are in, or with spring if new leaves are showing. The short guides stand on their own and can be read in any order. About this almanac sets out the scope in more detail.