A day in the life of a lily

'Pink Perfection' leans into a stand of phlox (not yet blooming) and consorts happily with the joe-pye weed behind it. The lily doesn't require any special care, other than being staked so it doesn't completely flop over under the weight of its blooms.

Change in the garden can be swift and dramatic -- as in when the main trunk of a pagoda dogwood splits in a windstorm -- or slow and subtle -- as in when a lily blossoms.

The long, fat buds of 'Pink Perfection', a trumpet lily, have been teasing us for several days. Today, she finally opened up.

At 9:55 a.m. Monday.

At 12:39 p.m. Monday.

At 4:11 p.m. Monday.

At 6:04 p.m. Monday. By 10 p.m. the lily's fragrance was filling this corner of the garden and drifting through the open window.