See naked ladies here

 A cheap way to drive blog traffic, I know. But the more I can do to draw attention to one of my favorite perennials, the better. Besides, how many times does a garden writer get to use naked in a headline?

   Called Naked Ladies by some, my preferred name for these tall, slender beauties is Surprise Lillies. Grown from bulbs, the plants are also known as Magic or Resurrection Lillies. The surprise comes as this delicate pink flower

seemingly rises out of nowhere in late July or early August. Spring foliage, similar to a daffodil, disappears with the summer's heat. Once you've forgotten about the plants entirely, out pops these beautiful flowers, which somehow are timed to synchronize with surprise lilies all across town. They look great in floral arrangements and, so far, I've seen no Japanese beetles on them, perhaps the best surprise of all.