224 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



Asia. They are, therefore, found flourishing naturally in different 

 soils, under varying climatic conditions, and in all degrees of heat 

 and shade, drought and moisture. 



The best positions for lilies in British gardens are those in 

 which they will be shaded from the hot midday sun, since if this 

 precaution be taken the life of the flowers will be prolonged. It 

 is, however, necessary to avoid planting the bulbs in deep shade 

 under trees, or in closely packed shrubberies, where the roots of 

 the occupants are thickly matted together. The roots of the 

 shrubs absorb so much of the food and moisture that are essential 

 to the proper development of the lily that the latter would be 

 starved and would speedily perish. 



A further aid in the selection of suitable varieties will be obtained 

 if it be remembered that lilies may be divided into three groups, 

 thus : 



(a) Lilies that flourish in ordinary good garden soil that is to 

 say, strong loam that has previously been deeply dug and enriched 

 with well-decayed manure : 



1. Bulbiferum, two feet to four feet ; orange-red spotted with 



brown. Flowers May and June. 



2. Candidum (Madonna Lily), five feet ; pure white ; June. 



3. Chalcedonicum (Scarlet Turk's Cap), three feet; bright 



scarlet ; July. 



4. Croceum, six feet ; orange spotted with purple at base ; 



June and July. 



5. Davuricum, two feet ; orange-red ; black spotted ; July. 



6. Henryii, six feet, orange-yellow ; July-September. 



7. Testaceum, five feet ; buff-yellow dotted with orange-red ; 



July. 



8. Rubellum, two feet ; bell-shaped rosy -pink flowers ; June. 



(b) Lilies that thrive best in sandy loam, peat and leaf soil : 



1. Auratum (perhaps the most generally cultivated of garden 

 lilies), two feet to six feet ; ivory-white, yellow band 

 down centre, deep purple blotches ; July- August. 



