44 THE BOOK OF BULBS 



and has spikes of small blue flowers. The form 

 freynianum is hardier, but is a little later. 



The charming little H. amethystinus, with blue flowers, 

 and its white variety albus, only a few inches high, are 

 bright May-flowering bulbs for the border or rock- 

 garden. They like a light soil. 



The Scillas, or Squills, are numerous and important 

 garden flowers. Our native Scilla nutans is pretty in 

 the wild-garden, but it is surpassed by the larger flowers 

 and spikes of S. campanulata or hispanica, the Spanish 

 Squill, which is very beautiful in the garden or the 

 grass. Like our native Scilla, it has sported into several 

 colours, and these show some diversity of quality. The 

 pink and the white varieties of this called rosea grandi- 

 flora, Rose Queen, and alba compacta, are all pleasing ; 

 as also are grandiflora, deep blue; Emperor, porcelain, 

 striped blue ; and aperta, blue, striped white. Less 

 showy, but very delightful, are the early Squills, such 

 as S. bifolia and S. sibirica. These bloom about March, 

 and give some variety of colour. Bifolia is the more 

 variable, and gives us the white variety, alba ; a flesh- 

 coloured one, called carnea ; and a pink, named rubra. 

 Some new forms, such as Pink Beauty and White Queen, 

 are not in commerce. The typical bifolia and the variety 

 taurica, both blue, are very pretty. S. sibirica is of 

 different habit, though equally dwarf, and has larger, 

 drooping flowers of a fine blue. The variety taurica 

 blooms earlier. S. sibirica alba is one of the greatest 

 acquisitions of recent years, and has charming pure- 

 white flowers. It is a gem for the borders or for pots. 

 Slugs are very fond of S. sibirica. S. verna is a beautiful 

 native Squill, seldom seen in gardens, but its lilac-blue 

 flowers are most attractive. Its white and rose forms 

 are hardly to be met with. S. italica is a somewhat 

 neglected April and May blooming species, with pretty 

 conical heads of light blue flowers. The white variety 



