Part 7

_Auratum_, a well-known Lily, 2 to 6 feet high, with ivory-white flowers, often 9 to 12 inches across, with a conspicuous yellow band down the centre, and deep purple blotches all over the inner surface. There are several varieties, some poor, some excellent, amongst the latter being _platyphyllum_ with very large heavily-spotted flowers. There is a white unspotted form of this called _virginale_, closely related to which is _Wittei_, the flowers of which, however, are stained with yellow down the centre.

_Browni_, 2 to 4 feet high, with bell-shaped flowers, pure white with a central purple line.

_Concolor_, grows 1 to 3 feet high, and has bright scarlet flowers. There are several varieties, such as _Buschianum_ and the dwarf _pulchellum_, scarlet, spotted with black; _Coridion_, bright yellow, spotted with red; _Partheneion_, orange-yellow, faintly spotted; and _luteum_, yellow, spotted with purple-red.

_Elegans_ (or _Thunbergianum_), 1 to 2 feet high, with erect cup-shaped scarlet flowers, slightly spotted with purple at the base.

_Giganteum_, a gigantic Himalayan Lily, with stems from 6 to 10, and sometimes 14 feet high, furnished with large heart-shaped oval leaves. The flower stem is 1 to 2 feet long and has drooping funnel-shaped blossoms of a greenish-white, suffused with violet-purple in the throat. Unlike other Liliums, the large conical bulbs of this species are not buried deeply in the soil. They are sunk in the soil about one-third of their depth, and are usually planted in April or May. In the event of spring frosts, the bulbs should be protected with dry leaves or litter.

_Hansoni_, 3 to 4 feet high, flowers drooping, bright orange yellow, and heavily spotted with dark purple-brown (see Plate 25, fig. 93).

_Humboldti_ (or _Bloomerianum_), 4 to 8 feet high, flowers orange-yellow, drooping, spotted with purple at the base; more conspicuous in the variety _ocellatum_, the yellow blossoms of which are tipped with crimson or purple.

_Japonicum_, 1 to 3 feet high, with sweet-scented pure white flowers faintly tinged with purple outside.

_Kewense_, a beautiful hybrid between _Henryi_ and a variety of _Browni_; it grows about 6 feet high, and has buff-coloured flowers about 8 inches across, fading off to creamy white at the tips.

_Krameri_ is like _japonicum_, but taller, and with pink flowers.

_Leichtlini_, 3 to 4 feet high, with drooping citron-yellow flowers heavily spotted with purple.

_Longiflorum_, a very handsome Lily, 2 to 3 feet high, with large tubular pure white flowers. There are many so-called varieties of this species, including _Harrisi_, _eximium_, and _Takesima_--all very popular for forcing in pots for greenhouses (see Plate 25, fig. 94).

_Martagon_, the "Turk's Cap," Lily, 2 to 3 feet high, with many tiers of drooping purple-red or violet-rose flowers, spotted with carmine, but white in the tall growing variety _album_ (see Plate 26, fig. 95).

_Monadelphum_ (or _Loddigesianum_) is a vigorous Lily, 3 to 5 feet high, with soft bright yellow flowers, which in the variety _Szovitsianum_ (or _colchicum_) are spotted with blackish-purple (see Plate 26, fig. 98).

_Pardalinum_, known as the "Leopard Lily," grows 3 to 8 feet high, and has drooping orange-red flowers spotted with dark purple at the base. There are several varieties, some being more highly coloured and spotted than others.

_Roezli_, 2 to 3 feet high, with dark blotched orange-red flowers.

_Speciosum_, also well-known as _lancifolium_, grows 2 to 3 feet high, and has white flowers suffused with rose, the lower portion of the segments being deeper in colour, and covered with papillæ. There are many varieties such as _album_, white; _Krätzeri_, white tinged with green down the centre; _Melpomene_, deep crimson-purple, &c.

_Tenuifolium_, so called from its grass-like leaves, grows 1 to 2 feet high, and has small drooping scarlet blossoms (see Plate 25, fig. 92).

_Tigrinum_, the "Tiger Lily," with woolly stems 2 to 4 feet high, and deep orange-red flowers heavily spotted with blackish-purple. (See Plate 24, fig. 90.)

III. LILIES THAT FLOURISH IN VERY MOIST BUT WELL-DRAINED SANDY LOAM, PEAT, AND LEAF-SOIL. THEY ARE EXCELLENT FOR PLANTING IN SHADY BORDERS, UNDER NORTH WALLS, OR BY THE SIDE OF PONDS, &c.

_Burbanki_, a fine hybrid between _pardalinum_ and _Parryi_. Flowers, pale orange-yellow, spotted with chocolate and flushed with crimson at the tips. A single stem often has as many as twenty or thirty blooms upon it.

_Canadense_, a rhizomatous "Turk's Cap" Lily, 2 to 4 feet high, with drooping funnel-shaped flowers varying in colour from bright orange-red to pale red, the upper portion of the segments being heavily spotted with purple-brown. (See Plate 23, figs. 88 and 89.) There are several forms such as _rubrum_, _flavum_, _parvum_, &c.

_Catesbæi_, an elegant species, 1 to 2 feet high, having erect bell-shaped flowers of a bright orange-red heavily spotted with purple.

_Cordifolium_, a very distinct-looking Lily, 3 to 4 feet high, having broadly heart-shaped ovate leaves, and tubular white flowers with violet-brown spots at the base.

_Grayi_ is closely related to _canadense_, but has deep crimson flowers heavily blotched with purple at the yellowish base.

_Maritimum_ is a pretty Lily, 3 to 5 feet high, with small deep red bell-shaped flowers spotted with dark purple.

_Parryi_ is another rhizomatous Lily, 2 to 6 feet high. The more or less drooping flowers are citron-yellow, spotted with purple-brown, and are sweetly fragrant.

_Superbum_ is known as the "Swamp Lily" of North America. It has creeping rhizomes which produce bulbs at intervals, and the violet-purple stems grow 4 to 10 feet high. The drooping orange-red flowers, sometimes as many as twenty to forty on a stem, are heavily spotted with violet-purple. The variety _carolinianum_ (also known as _autumnale_ and _Michauxianum_) has flowers like those of the type, but the plants only grow about 2 feet high.

PLATE 25. LILIUM TENUIFOLIUM (92) LILIUM HANSONI (93) LILIUM LONGIFLORUM (94)

Most of the Lilies described in these three sections may be grown in beds by themselves on the grass, or they may be planted in clumps in borders or shrubberies where they will have plenty of space and enough sunshine to enable them to develop fully. The peat-loving kinds--those in the second and third sections--are excellent for planting amongst such plants as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Kalmias, and other peat-loving shrubs.

=LYCORIS squamigera.=--This distinct Japanese plant is closely related to the Belladonna Lily (see p. 51). It has rather long-necked roundish bulbs, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and strap-shaped leaves about a foot long. From July to September, after the leaves have withered, the large sweet-scented rosy-lilac flowers (see Plate 32, fig. 116) are borne on a stout stalk 2 to 3 feet high. This plant may be grown out of doors in the milder parts of the kingdom in warm sheltered spots, such as against a well on a south border. It likes rich well-drained sandy loam and leaf-soil, but grows freely in ordinary good garden soil. There are other species that may probably succeed in the open air in the same way, such as _aurea_, golden-yellow; _straminea_, pale yellow with a pink central line and red dots; and _radiata_, bright red.

=MERENDERA Bulbocodium.=--A pretty Pyrenean plant closely related to _Bulbocodium vernum_. It grows only 3 or 4 inches high, and produces its rosy-lilac funnel-shaped flowers in autumn at the same time as some of the true Colchicums. The narrow sickle-shaped leaves appear after the flowers are over and remain fresh and green till spring. There are a few other species, but they are practically unknown in gardens. The Merendera may be grown exactly in the same way as the Colchicums, in the border, rock-garden, or best of all in the grass. The stock may be increased by offsets and seeds.

=MILLA biflora.=--There is now only one Milla, the plants formerly known under that name being now included in the genus Brodiæa (see p. 56). _M. biflora_ has rather small bulbs with fleshy roots and narrow, grass-like, blue-green leaves. The pretty pure white salver-shaped blossoms appear in August and September usually two to four on stems about 6 inches high. Being a native of Mexico, _M. biflora_ should be grown in warm sheltered spots in the rock-garden or border, in a rich sandy loam, the bulbs being planted about 4 inches deep. Increased by offsets.

=MUSCARI= (_Grape Hyacinth_).--A charming class of plants with roundish bulbs about 1 inch in diameter, narrow leaves, and conical clusters of urn-shaped or tubular blossoms drooping from stems 3 to 6 inches high. Although the Grape Hyacinths may be easily grown in patches or edgings in the ordinary flower border, there is no place that shows off their sheets of brilliant blue blossoms so well as a grassy bank, or a nook in the rockery, where they should be planted in large numbers. They naturally like a rich and well drained soil with plenty of grit or sand in it, and some leaf-soil. The bulbs should be planted about 3 inches deep in September and October, and when naturalised in the grass may be left for several seasons without being disturbed. Most of the kinds blossom in March, April, and May, and are easily increased by offsets. Seeds may also be sown (see p. 36).

The following is a selection of the best kinds. The flowers are blue in all cases, except where otherwise mentioned, and the general appearance of the blossoms is as shown by _M. conicum_ in Plate 12, fig. 48:--_Armeniacum_; _botryoides_, with a white-flowered variety _album_; _comosum_, the monstrous form of which, with twisted and wavy bluish-violet filaments, is known as the Ostrich Feather Hyacinth; _conicum_ (see Plate 12, fig. 48), of which there is a beautiful brilliant blue variety called "Heavenly Blue." _Heldreichi_, like _botryoides_, but larger; _Maweanum_; _neglectum_; _racemosum_; _amphibolus_ porcelain blue; and _Szovitsianum_.

There are other colours besides blue among the Grape Hyacinths. Thus the "Musk Hyacinth" (_M. moschatum_) has sweet-scented blossoms which change from purple at first to greenish-yellow tinged with violet. It has a yellow flowered variety called _flavum_ or _macrocarpum_. Some forms of _neglectum_ are salmon-pink, while the blossoms of _M. paradoxum_ might be described almost as black.

=NARCISSUS= (_Daffodil_).--What so charming in the spring-time as "a host of Golden Daffodils"? The varieties are now almost legion, and they are still being added to by enthusiastic hybridists in various parts of the kingdom. The crossing of one section with another may possibly worry the botanist, but there is no fear that the gardener will not welcome any new variety that may be raised. Although thousands of the older Daffodils may be bought for a few shillings, the rarer varieties still command a respectably high price, and will naturally continue to do so until the stock has been considerably increased.

There is scarcely a nook in the garden, large or small, where Daffodils cannot be grown. And yet it is astonishing to note their general absence from suburban gardens, where they would not only grow freely, but also make a cheerful picture in the spring-time.

PLATE 26. LILIUM MARTAGON ALBUM (95) WATSONIA ARDERNEI (96) LILIUM RUBELLUM (97) LILIUM COLCHICUM (98)

Daffodils--with the exception, perhaps, of a very few varieties--require as little attention, and even less than Snowdrops or Crocuses. Once planted they may be left undisturbed for years, and as each season comes round they gaily shoot their blue-green strap-shaped leaves and creamy or golden blossoms through the ground.

They grow in almost any soil, but prefer a rather stiff and well-drained loam. They are appropriate in any situation in the flower border or rockery. But their natural position is undoubtedly in the grass, or--

"Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze,"

As Wordsworth has it.

=When to Plant.=--The best time to plant Daffodil bulbs is from the end of August to November. As there is a great difference in the size of the bulbs, according to the variety, the depth of planting should vary accordingly. Thus bulbs 1 to 2 inches deep from top of neck to base should be planted quite 3 or 4 inches deep, while larger ones will be planted 4 to 6 inches deep in proportion, and about the same distance apart, except, of course, when they are used between other plants like Tulips, Wallflowers, Polyanthuses, &c., for a combination display in spring.

Most of the Daffodils are valuable for cutting and decorative purposes generally when in season, and when one has the convenience of a greenhouse--cold or otherwise--the flowering period can be extended from Christmas onwards.

Daffodils are most easily increased by the offsets from the old bulbs. These may be lifted in early summer, when the leaves have begun to turn yellow. Seeds may also be sown when ripe (see page 36), but to secure them the plants must be left much longer in the ground, so as to mature them.

Nearly all kinds of Daffodils--especially those having only one flower on a stem--may be grown in the open air. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, but the uninitiated may start with such kinds as the beautiful white and flat-flowered "Poet's Narcissus" (_N. poeticus_), which is also called the "Pheasant's Eye" Narcissus, because of the crimson and orange circles round the rim of the flat saucer-like "corona" in the centre (see Plate 7, fig. 29). There are several varieties of the Poet's Narcissus, one of the best for ordinary purposes being _ornatus_. Where the soil is particularly rich and well-drained the double-flowered variety, called the "Gardenia" Narcissus, owing to the shape of its beautiful white blossoms (see Plate 7, fig. 28), may be grown. Unfortunately this variety often comes "blind," that is, the blossoms remain undeveloped in the papery sheath on top of the stem. To check this the bulbs are best lifted and transplanted early to fresh soil. Another popular and easily-grown Daffodil is the common Double Yellow one known as _Telamonius plenus_ or _Van Sion_. It is a form of the Tenby Daffodil (_N. obvallaris_) which is a single form with beautiful yellow flowers, having a large "trumpet" or corona in the centre. Closely related to this is the Great Spanish Daffodil (_N. major_) which has large bright lemon-yellow flowers, which are still larger and of richer yellow in the variety _maximus_.

="Ajax" Daffodils.=--To these may be added the numerous forms, of which the common Lent Lily (also called "Ajax" or "Trumpet Daffodil") is the type, and which has pale sulphur-yellow blossoms with a lemon-yellow "trumpet." Some of the finest Daffodils, with large spreading flowers and correspondingly large and deep trumpets, belong to this section, among which may be mentioned _Ard Righ_ or _Yellow King_, _C. W. Cowan_, _Colleen Bawn_, _Emperor_, _Glory of Leiden_, _Golden Spur_, _Henry Irving_, _Hudibras_, _John Nelson_, _Madame de Graaff_ (see Plate 4, fig. 17), _Monarch_, _W. Goldring_, &c. All these have single flowers varying in colour from almost pure white (as in _C. W. Cowan_, _Colleen Bawn_, and _Madame de Graaff_) to deep golden-yellow in many of the other varieties. There are a few double-flowered forms of the "Lent Lily," the best known being _Capax_, lemon-yellow; _grandiplenus_, deep yellow, _plenissimus_, and the Old Double Lent Lily grown in Gerarde's garden over 300 years ago.

="Bicolor" Daffodils.=--Another very fine group of Trumpet Daffodils are those known as "bicolors," so called because the spreading segments are one colour (generally white or creamy), while the trumpet is another colour (usually some shade of soft or deep yellow). Amongst the most popular forms in this group may be mentioned _Ellen Willmott_ (see Plate 4, fig. 16), _Empress, Grandee_, _Horsfieldi_ (see Plate 4, fig. 18), _Mrs. J. B. M. Camm_, _Mrs. Morland Crossfield,_ _Mrs. Walter T. Ware_, _Princeps_ or _Irish Giant, Victoria,_ and _Weardale Perfection_ (see Plate 6, fig. 26).

The "=Star Daffodils=" (_N. incomparabilis_) have spreading starry petals, and a cup or chalice-like corona or trumpet in the centre. They are a very free growing group, the commoner kinds of which (such as _Autocrat_, _Cynosure_, _Stella_) may be naturalised in thousands in the grass, where they may be seen at "a glance tossing their heads in sprightly dance." Some other very fine forms are _C. J. Backhouse_, _Frank Miles_, _Geo. Nicholson_, _Gloria Mundi_ (see Plate 5, fig. 21), _Lulworth_ (see Plate 6, fig. 27), _Mary Anderson_, _Sir Watkin_ (see Plate 5, fig. 23), and _Princess Mary of Cambridge_ (see Plate 5, fig. 21), &c., but there are many others. There are also several double varieties of Star Daffodils, the most common being "Butter and Eggs," _Orange Phoenix_ (or _Eggs and Bacon_) and _Sulphur Phoenix_ (or _Codlins and Cream_).

There are many other kinds of Daffodils which have only one flower on a stem, many of them being natural or artificial hybrids. Space will not permit detailed descriptions, but the following may be looked upon as the best:--_Backhousei_, _Barri_ (with several forms), _Bernardi_, _Burbidgei_, (with several forms), _gracilis_, _Humei_, _intermedius_, _Johnstoni_ (with several forms), _Leedsi_ (with several fine forms), _Macleayi_, _moschatus_ (with several forms, the best being _cernuus_), _muticus_, and _Nelsoni_ (with several forms).

In the foregoing sections the blossoms are all of a fairly large size, and borne on stalks a foot or more high. There is, however a charming group in which the blossoms are in most cases comparatively small and the flower stalks short. These kinds are valuable for planting in bold masses in partially shaded places in the rockery, or in short grass.

_N. cyclamineus_ is a charming little Daffodil. It belongs to the Lent Lily group botanically. The blossoms, however, are much smaller; the segments being lemon-yellow, and abruptly turned back upon the stalk from the orange-yellow cylindrical "trumpet." (See Plate 5, fig. 19.)

_N. minor_ is another miniature form of Lent Lily, with gracefully-twisted sulphur-yellow segments surrounding a deeper yellow spreading "trumpet." The variety _minimus_ is smaller still, with rich yellow flowers, while _plenus_ (or _Rip Van Winkle_) is a double variety.

One kind that differs conspicuously from all others is the "Hooped Petticoat" or "Medusa Trumpet" Daffodil (_N. Bulbocodium_), at one time considered a distinct genus (_Corbularia_). It is a charming species, having bright-yellow flowers, the chief characteristic of which is the cone-like or broadly funnel-shaped trumpet. There are several varieties, such as _citrinus_ (lemon-yellow), _conspicuus_ (golden-yellow), _Graellsi_ (primrose-yellow), _monophyllus_ (snow-white, leaves solitary), _nivalis_, (orange-yellow).

PLATE 27. WATSONIA MERIANA (99) WATSONIA ALBA (100) WATSONIA ANGUSTA (101) MONTBRETIA CROCOSMIÆFLORA (102)

=Polyanthus or Tazetta Narcissus.=--Passing from the Daffodils with solitary flowers on a stalk, we come to a small group in which several blossoms adorn the top of the stem. The most important of these is perhaps the Polyanthus or Bunch Narcissus (_N. Tazetta_) which was well-known to the old Greek and Roman poets, although in a wild state it is met with eastwards across Europe and Asia, to China and Japan. The typical _N. Tazetta_ has 4 to 8 flowers on top of the stem, the spreading segments being pure white and the cup-shaped corona lemon-yellow. There are many varieties, and although the individual blossoms are not very large, they are sometimes produced in much larger numbers than the type. The best-known varieties are the _Scilly White_, _Grand Soleil d'or_, _Grand Monarque_ (Plate 6, figs. 24 and 25), and the _Paper White_--all largely grown in the open air in the Scilly Isles--but rather too tender for out-door cultivation in less favoured parts of the kingdom.

Of late years, a Chinese form (really only _N. Tazetta_) called the "Sacred Lily" or "Joss Flower," has attracted attention, and has been recommended for growing in ornamental bowls, &c., in drawing-rooms, in a compost (if it can be called such) of pebbles and clean water. The common mistake made in growing the Joss Lily in this way is that the plants do not get sufficient light in ordinary rooms, and consequently both leaves and stems are too weak to stand erect.

Other Daffodils with several flowers on a stalk are the Sweet-Scented Jonquil (_N. Jonquilla_), easily recognised by its roundish leaves and rich yellow flowers with a cup-shaped corona. There are several varieties including a double one known as "Queen Anne's Jonquil." The Rush-leaved Jonquil (_N. juncifolius_) with roundish rush-like leaves is closely related, its bright yellow blossoms being distinguished from those of the Jonquil by being fewer and having broader ovate segments.

_N. triandrus_, popularly called "Ganymede's Cup," is a charming little species with 1 to 6 pure-white flowers in which the segments are bent back from the cup-shaped corona. There are several varieties, including a lovely white one (_albus_) called "Angel's Tears," shown on Plate 5, fig. 20. _Concolor_, pale yellow; _calathinus_, white or sulphur-yellow; _pallidulus_, primrose-yellow; while _pulchellus_ has primrose-yellow segments and a white corona.

The bulbs of _N. triandrus_ and its varieties being rather small--half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter--the spots where they are planted should be marked, otherwise they are apt to get lost or destroyed. Until the stock is large they are probably safer grown in pots in cold frames.

As new varieties and hybrids are being added each year, the reader who wishes to grow novelties is advised to consult the bulb catalogues of such firms as Messrs. Barr & Sons, Covent Garden; Messrs. Ware, Feltham; Mr. Hartland, of Cork; Mr. Perry, Winchmore Hill, &c.

=NOTHOSCORDUM fragrans.=--A sturdy North American plant, 1 to 2 feet high, with roundish oblong bulbs, having thick fleshy roots. It is closely related to the Alliums, as may be seen by its umbels of white starry flowers, the segments of which are keeled with lilac on the outside.

This species grows in ordinary good garden soil of a gritty nature, and is easily increased by offsets.