CHAPTER IX 



BULBS AND TUBERS. II. HALF-HARDY 

 SPECIES 



A LARGE number of bulbs are available for the unheated 

 greenhouse which are somewhat difficult to place, because 

 they are suited neither to the warm house nor to the open 

 garden. Many of these can resist even a few degrees of frost 

 on occasion, but the rapid changes of our climate are more 

 than they can endure. For such the greenhouse that can be 

 kept just above freezing-point by temporary means is admir- 

 ably adapted. Planting time in some cases coincides with 

 that of the earliest hardy bulbs, and, as they require to begin 

 with much the same treatment, August is generally a busy 

 month in the potting shed. 



Lachenalias and Freesias, two well-known groups of half- 

 hardy bulbs, belong to this section. L. pendula flowers 

 naturally in November ; consequently, it ripens its bulbs first 

 in order, and to have its welcome spikes of bright light- 

 crimson in due season July is not too soon to pot this 

 particular species. L. pendula is far too seldom grown, for 

 it is one of the most precious flowers of early winter. The 

 genus includes a number of most charming species and 

 hybrids which have been gradually coming more and more to 

 the front, and the varied shades of colour in the flowers ot 

 different species are somewhat remarkable. L. pendula is, I 

 believe, the only species of its peculiar shade of rose-red. 

 The greater number are brilliant yellow, either self-coloured 



