They flower on second year growth,what you are seeing now is next years flower stems,if its growing alrightyou will have more shoots next year and they will be the following years flowers and so on

Sorry Bjs lily of the valley is fully herbaceous and flowers on that years growth. I'm not sure why yours isn't flowering this year Gummychris did you feed it too well last year?

Carol Klein has written an excellent article on growing the plant copy and paste this link into your browser

http://bit.ly/jW1je1

Also, like other "bulbs", the leaves need to be left on until they die naturally to feed next years flowers. They are shade tolerant, but if the area they are in is too dark, they may not produce for that reason, too.

Moon Growe
different to article i read recently by growers in Holland,will check it out .

moon grow
have read Carols article.it did not say if it flowered on 1st or 2nd year growth.
I refer you to = www.convallaria.na =this is a very good site with a lot of good information on the life cycle of the plant.and includes an excellent picture diagram that shows exactly how it grows.

Bjs your link did not take me anywhere. Lily of the Valley is a 'bulb' , in the loosest sense of the word. It dies back completely in winter therefore it is impossible for it to flower on 2nd year growth.

Moon grow
keep trying the link its there.It is not a Bulb it is a rootstock or rhizome,i have grown them for long enough to know.
I know you wont believe me until you do.
I think there is copyright on it otherwise i would download it.

Moon grow
google = convallaria info = second down on my page is the link I gave you click and your in.

Bjs we are going to have to agree to disagree I'm afraid. Bulba and I have the blasted plant in our garden, 'blasted' because it is so invasive. He digs it out by the barrow load. It dies back to nothing every winter and grows anew the following spring - it also flowers every year. It gets into the double dyke and other places where it is totally not wanted. A rhizome is, loosely defined, a bulb.

Thanks everyone for trying to answer my question. I am still confused!!!!! I know its a bulb but it is so strange. It was my Mothers favourite flower and after her death my Father always grew it and took them to her grave. Unfortunately my Father died in January and I wanted to take some of mine to his grave. I have had them in my garden for many years but its only this year that I have had no flowers !!!! Thats why I was hoping for a logical explanation. Chris

I'm sorry Chris, wish I could have been of more help!

I would look for differences this year:
I have never heard of cold damage on the plant, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
It's possible that the hot, dry weather killed the flower spikes in embryo--I would get down on my knees (no mean feat, these days) and look for dried up stems among the leaves.
Has a nearby shade tree finally got to a critical size?
How many years have you had them in the same spot? Even they can eventually get overcrowded.
Have you been feeding them after bloom? They don't need a lot, but even rich soil can get depleted.

I have had them in my front garden for about 8 or 9 years, they are not overcrowded and not in shade, but I must admit that I dont think that I fed them last year. There are no stems, just the two leaves on each one!!! There are some growing wild about 50 yards away from my garden and they are full of the little white flowers, I am very confused.

Just look after them this year and I'm sure they'll be back flowering next. We could always send you some :-)

Thanks Moon growe, fingers crossed for next year :)