I Love Lemon Lilies!
WELCOME
I met my first Lemon Lily in the little mountain community of Idyllwild, California, in the summer of 2010. I had recently moved there. It was love at first sight!
The community had just become aware of a long-forgotten treasure – a spectacular wildflower that once grew by the thousands along Idyllwild’s creeks. Today, only a few may be found around town, mostly in hidden or inaccessible places. Most are found above Idyllwild in the high country – the San Jacinto Mountains.
I met my first Lemon Lily in the little mountain community of Idyllwild, California, in the summer of 2010. I had recently moved there. It was love at first sight!
The community had just become aware of a long-forgotten treasure – a spectacular wildflower that once grew by the thousands along Idyllwild’s creeks. Today, only a few may be found around town, mostly in hidden or inaccessible places. Most are found above Idyllwild in the high country – the San Jacinto Mountains.
What Happened to the Lemon Lilies?
A local botanist told the story. Over a hundred years ago, the bulb hunters came. Thousands of bulbs were dug up and removed from their creek-side homes. They were taken off the mountain, where most certainly perished.
Lemon Lilies can be found in only a few places on earth. They thrive in high elevations, close to creeks and water sources.
When the town learned about the disappearance of the Lemon Lilies, the community resolved to reintroduce Lemon Lilies to their mountain home so all could enjoy this community treasure.
Native plant nurseries were contacted and efforts were made to purchase bulbs whose history could be traced back to Idyllwild as a possible location. Bulbs were purchased and planted, and each year the community celebrates the restoration process.
I hope you enjoy learning about Idyllwild’s Lemon Lilies and have an opportunity to meet them someday!
Avianna
What You’ll Find on the Site
After falling in love with the Lemon Lilies, I wanted to tell their story and raise awareness of their plight.
I couldn’t stop!
I produced a little video. I took LOTS of photos, I designed Lemon Lily characters for kids. My photos appeared on a Lemon Lily quilt. And I even wrote a book for children. You’ll find lots of my projects here.
SHORT FILM
“Idyllwild’s Lemon Lilies – Restoring a Community Treasure“
This is a little 3 minute video that documents the Lemon Lily story and the community’s efforts to restore them.
PHOTOS
You’ll see the stages of growth from seed to seed and some of my favorite Lemon Lily photos.
FOR KIDS
You’ll find coloring pages and a “Lemon Lily Adventure Guide” to print out.
And, for curious kids of all ages, there’s a diagram of the parts of the Lemon Lily.
THE LEMON LILY BOOK
“Dreams Come True – Idyllwild’s Lemon Lilies Come Home”
It’s for children of all ages, written from the perspective of Grandmother Mountain who knows and loves us all.
CONTACT ME
You can use the contact form below, or visit my website, aviannajones.com. Or you can find me on Facebook.
I love to hear from Kindred Spirits!
Lemon Lily Video
IDYLLWILD’S LEMON LILIES – RESTORING A COMMUNITY TREASURE
Of course, I had to make a video! And it happened to be at the time when the community was beginning a film festival …
I put together my favorite photos of Lemon Lilies and created a 3-minute short film documenting the Lemon Lily history, its life cycle, and the community’s restoration efforts.
This short film was selected an an official entry in the first Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in 2011.
LEMON LILY RESTORATION DAY
You can join with the community as Idyllwild celebrates the restoration of its Lemon Lilies every year at the Idyllwild Nature Center. There are activities for the whole family to enjoy. For more information, visit the Idyllwild Nature Center online.
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Lemon Lily Photos
HOW LEMON LILIES GROW
Happy Birthday, Lemon Lily!
Lemon Lilies begin their lives as seeds, and this seed is sprouting.
The sprout is taking root and making a leaf.
The leaf is collecting sunlight and growing a bulb under the ground.
This young one is maturing as its bulb underground grows.
It can take several years before a Lemon Lily is ready to make its first blossoms.
This Lemon Lily is making buds!
It will be a blooming year!
The buds get bigger each day.
Blooming Day is growing closer.
The blossom begins to open in the summer sun.
The blossom opens in the summer sun, and its scent and nectar attract pollinators.
When just the right pollen enters, it travels down the female part of the Lemon Lily and the Lemon Lily begins to make seeds.
The blossoms are beautiful to humans, but their real job is to attract the insects that will transfer pollen from one plant to another, giving birth to the precious seeds of the next generation.
When the blossoms have done their job of attracting pollinators, they dry and fall to the Earth.
All that remains of the flower is the growing seed pod.
This is a happy Lemon Lily!
Pollination was successful and seeds are forming inside the seed pods.
Finally, the ripe seed pod opens and the precious seeds are released to find their new homes.
And the cycle of life begins again.
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Lemon Lily Activities for Kids
THE LEMON LILY ADVENTURE GUIDE
There are LOTS of activities for kids to help them learn to be Lemon Lily Leaders and protectors.
Note: The program at the Idyllwild Nature Center is no longer active, so the point system is just for you, and for fun!
THE LEMON LILY KIDS TO COLOR
THE LEMON LILY STORY
Here’s a little comic page that tells the Lemon Lily story.
PARTS OF THE LEMON LILY
Flowers are fascinating!
You’ll learn about the parts of a Lemon Lily and how they work.
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The Lemon Lily Book
DREAMS COME TRUE – IDYLLWILD’S LEMON LILIES COME HOME
HOW THE BOOK CAME TO BE
There’s a new term for who and what I have been most of my life. I’m a Spiritual Ecologist.
I believe that all life is sacred and that we are all connected. And there is much we can learn from the natural world.
I hadn’t planned to write a book, but I believe the mountain felt my love for her Lemon Lilies.
One day I clearly heard her voice, and she began to dictate the story. It was like taking notes for me.
I added my photos and the book was finished in a couple of months – just in time for the first Lemon Lily Festival in 2010.
I hope that children will learn empathy and compassion as they follow little Lemon Lily from sprout to blooming year. And I hope that that they also feel that they are known and loved and supported by their Creator, just as little Lemon Lily is.
THE STORY
On the first day of Spring, Grandmother awakens to find that her Forest Children are anxious for her to make Spring for them. They have dreams of nuts and seeds and plants to eat!
Grandmother Mountain has a dream, too, but she is not sure it will ever come true.
Grandmother Mountain knows that her Forest Children will have to wait for Grandfather Sun’s light to be stronger so the Green Ones can use his light to grow.
The Forest Children listen to the
dreams of the Green Ones as they sleep under the Snow. They learn that the Green Ones want to bloom and make seeds so they can feed the whole mountain! They also learn that the Green Ones need help from the Forest Children to make their seeds.
On the perfect Spring day, Grandmother Mountain awakens the Green Ones, and they are all anxious to be the first to bloom. But Grandmother Mountain explains that there is a perfect time for everything to be born and to grow.
As Summer comes, Grandmother Mountain is looking forward to seeing her beautiful Lemon Lilies.
And one miraculous day, Grandmother Mountain sees a Baby Lemon Lily sprouting, ready to create his life upon her.
Baby Lemon Lily wants to be big enough to bloom, but Grandmother Mountain explains that it takes a few years to be strong enough to grow tall and make beautiful flowers. Young Lemon Lily is certain to bloom this year, and Grandmother Mountain knows he will be beautiful.
Grandmother Mountain is happy for Young Lemon Lily, but she is also sad. She knows it can be dangerous to be too beautiful. She tells the story of the time long ago when Humans came to the Mountain and took her precious Lemon Lilies away because they were so beautiful.
The Lemon Lilies were frightened. Some were even afraid to bloom.
One morning, Grandmother Mountain heard real voices that she had only heard in her dreams. One hundred Lemon Lily voices were coming from Idyllwild! She welcomed them and wanted to find out how they had found their way home.
She listened and learned that when the Humans discovered what had happened to the Lemon Lilies so long ago, they were sad.
They decided to work together and bring the Lemon Lilies home and protect them.
The whole town of Idyllwild worked together to plan a Lemon Lily Festival. They invited people from all over the world to come and see the beautiful Lemon Lilies and celebrate their return.
Grandmother Mountain’s dream had come true. And her beautiful Lemon Lilies were no longer afraid to bloom!
HOW TO BUY THE BOOK
If you’re interested, you can buy the book from Amazon.com and other bookselllers. The cost is $14.95.
Here’s a link to the book’s Amazon.com page: Dreams Come True – Idyllwild’s Lemon Lilies Come Home
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Contact Me
Thanks for stopping by.
If you want to learn more about me and my work, you can go to my website, AviannaJones.com.
Or you can find me on Facebook.
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About the Lemon Lily Photo
Photo of Lily Rock from Deer Spring Trail. The Lemon Lilies were added with Photoshop.
No Lemon Lilies were harmed in the making of this image. 🙂