There's a lily to suit almost any soil or colour scheme, says Monty Don

Recently I've been over in the States, filming for my American Gardens series that will be shown early next year. Pictured, Monty with some of his ‘Casa Blanca’ oriental lilies It's a reminder that they were originally introduced in the 19th century from Japan as the plantain lily – they were grown here too for their flowers, with the foliage an attractive by-product. I grow mine in pots because, like almost all lilies other than Madonnas, they are happiest in ericaceous soil, and it's easy to use a peat-free ericaceous compost made from pine bark or bracken in a container, ideally supplemented with plenty of home-made leaf mould to give them the loose, cool root run that they like best. MONTY'S PLANT OF THE WEEK The 'superb hardy geranium' Armenian cranesbill, pictured, is Monty's plant of the week The colour magenta used to provoke either admiration or disgust. The superb hardy geranium Armenian cranesbill produces bright magenta flowers with black centres, grows to 1m tall and wide, and holds its own in any mixed border.