CHAPTER VII. 



HARDY BULBOUS AND TUBEROUS FLOWERS, AND THEIR 



GARDEN USE. 



At no distant time lists of these things were mostly looked at for 

 the sake of getting a few bulbs to force, but that day is past, at least, 

 for all who now see the great part which hardy bulbous and tuberous 

 plants must take in the outdoor gardens of the future. Since those 

 days the hills of California and of Japan alone have given us a noble 

 lily garden, and the plants of this order in cultivation now form a 

 lovely host. We are not nearly so likely to want novelties as know- 

 ledge of how to make effective use of the nobler plants, such as the 

 Narcissus, the glory of the spring, as the Lily is of the summer 

 garden. 



We may indeed be often tempted with Zephyr flowers, and Ixias 

 and other plants, beautiful in warmer countries than ours, but delicate 

 here, and only living with us as the result of care which is quite 

 needless, but there are so many lovely things from the mountains and 

 plains of the northern world, and from the mountains in all parts, as 

 hardy as the wild Hyacinths of British woods, that our search will 

 be more for the nobler materials and how to make artistic use of them 

 than in quest of novelty as such. 



Lilies. — It would be fair to begin with the Snowdrop, but we will 

 take the plants in the order of their value ; and, having regard to past 

 service and the present beauty of the Lilies, they should take the first 

 place among hardy bulbs. Who of those who remember the Orange 

 and White Lilies of all English and Irish gardens would have looked 

 for the splendid Lilies that have come to us within less than a 

 generation ? For size, and form, and lovely colour they surpass all 

 we had ever dreamt of even among tropical flowers. The variety is 

 so great that a volume would be required to describe them ; the 

 catalogues give us many of their names. The main thing for all who 



