One neighbor's trash

Years ago my elderly neighbor discovered a snake sheltering in a densely planted bed of crinum lilies.   She was so upset by the experience that she dug up all the bulbs and tossed them into a trash heap to be hauled away by the city.   I didn't know what those flowers were back then, but I knew they were pretty so I asked her if I could have them.   I planted them in a wet spot of a flower bed in which nothing seemed to thrive. 

It was work to dig holes large enough to accommodate bulbs the size of softballs!  (I've since learned that crinum lily bulbs can grow to the size of basketballs.)  Those lilies have never failed to bloom, no matter what kind of summer we experience in central Alabama.  This summer is no exception. 

Crinum lilies have been cultivated for many years but have fallen out of favor with gardeners in recent years.  Mine are creamy white, with a delicate pink stripe but I'm told they come in dozens of color combinations.  They are basically indestructible; they will thrive in wet or dry conditions, sun or shade, and will regrow after even the most abusive treatment.  My neighbor's trash is my backyard treasure.