#12: Lily (Lilium regale)
@gwhizz says, "For me, lilium Regale brings back memories of my whole life and my family-at Christmas (in Australia). It was always there, as far back as I can remember. At our house, at relatives' houses, at our holiday shack, and even in hotels many years ago, there was a "grand entryway" with a big hall stand full of regale lilies. My Aunty Bev used to line the perimeter of her backyard, which was quite big, with regale lilies in big blue empty ink tubs, which her son brought home from the textile factory where he worked. I was most unpopular at a young age when I fed her budgies some lily buds, and now I can understand why. Recently I inherited my mother-in-law's plants, regale lilies included (and also a white cockatoo, but that's another story). I grow and sell lilies as an addictive and possessive hobby (if there is such a thing), but if I have potted Regale lilies to sell at the markets, fetes or church sales, I don't get them out of the back of the truck. I wait until some elderly person comes along and says: "Do you have the old, beautiful-smelling Christmas lily?'' "Well, yes. As a matter of fact, I do! Glad you asked!"