Gardening for Amateurs 



or 15 inches high. A better plant for the 

 garden proper, and quite as easy to grow, is 

 the Spanish Bluebell (Scilla hispanica) (cam- 

 panulata). It is about 1 foot or rather 

 more in height, the flower spikes are stiffer 

 than those of the English Bluebell, and the 

 blossoms larger. There are several varieties, 

 as alba, white ; Excelsior, large blue ; 

 Bleu Celeste, deep blue ; Blue Queen, 

 porcelain-blue ; Rosalind, rose-pink ; and 

 rosea (Rose Queen), lilac-rose. Groups and 

 masses of these are most effective in all 

 sorts of places in the garden where they may 

 remain undisturbed for years. Both Squills 

 and Bluebells increase rapidly by offsets, 

 and they also produce seeds freely. These 

 may be gathered, but if they are allowed to 

 fall self-sown seedlings come up around the 

 parent plants. Plant the Squills 2 to 3 

 inches deep and the Bluebells 4 inches deep, 

 from September to November. They will 

 thrive in ordinary soil. The Peruvian Squill, 

 Scilla peruviana, is a summer-flowering bulb 

 with broad leaves and blue flowers, 10 inches 

 to 1 foot high. Plant it in autumn in light, 

 sandy soil on a warm border or in the rockery. 



Sternbergia (Lily of the Field). An 

 interesting bulbous plant with yellow flowers, 

 suitable for a warm south border or sunny 

 rockery. The soil must be well drained, 

 light and sandy, while at planting time it 

 will improve matters to mix in some leaf- 

 mould around the bulbs. Plant those which 

 flower in autumn during June or July, and 

 the spring-flowering kind in September or 

 October. The bulbs are put 3 inches deep, 

 and 4 to 5 inches apart. Increase is by 

 division of the offsets, taken off at the seasons 

 recommended for planting. Do not disturb 

 the bulbs while they grow and flower satis- 

 factorily. Fischer's Sternbergia, S. fischer- 

 iana, opens its golden-yellow blossoms during 

 April. S. lutea and S. lutea major (angusti- 

 folia) flower in September, followed a week 

 or two later by S. macrantha, a species with 

 large yellow Crocus-like flowers. The Stern- 

 bergias grow about 1 foot high. 



Tigridia (Tiger Flower or Tiger Iris). 

 A family of very handsome bulbous plants 

 from Mexico. The poise and shape of the 

 gorgeous flowers are suggestive of a Flag- 

 Iris, hence the common name Tiger Iris, 

 though the colours are quite different. The 



flowering season is from July to September. 

 The individual blooms only last one day, 

 but successional flowers open for some time. 

 The best position for Tigridias is on a sunny 

 south border. The soil must be well 

 drained, light loam, or ordinary light garden 

 soil, enriched with manure from an old hot- 

 bed, and leaf-mould making the best com- 

 post. In warm districts the bulbs are allowed 

 to remain in the ground undisturbed for 

 several years. They are planted in April 



3 inches deep and 6 inches apart ; in October 

 they are lifted and stored in light, sandy soil 

 or coarse sand in a frost-proof shed or cellar. 

 Increase is by offsets, and sometimes from 

 seeds, which are sown in a frame in autumn 

 as soon as ripe. As a rule it takes three years 

 to flower Tigridias from seeds. 



The most popular Tiger Flower is Tigridia 

 Pavonia, which has gorgeous scarlet spotted 

 flowers with yellow centre. The plants grow 

 about 2 feet high. There are numerous 

 varieties, the best of which are as follows : 

 grandiflora, scarlet, spotted crimson on yellow 

 ground ; grandiflora alba, white, spotted 

 ruby-red ; conchiflora, yellow, spotted scar- 

 let ; speciosa, scarlet and yellow ; aurea, 

 old gold, mottled chocolate ; rosea, white 

 suffused with rose, dark centre. There is 

 also a pure white variety, alba immaculata. 



Tritonia (Montbretia). These delightful 

 plants deserve a place in every garden. The 

 old-fashioned Montbretia crocosmiaeflora has 

 long been a favourite in cottage gardens, but 

 this is far surpassed by the present-day race. 

 The best of these have flowers 3 to 4 inches 

 across, borne on stiff branching stems 3 to 



4 feet in height. 



The cultivation presents no difficulties. 

 They thrive in ordinary well -drained soil 

 enriched with old manure and leaf -mould ; 

 the best soil is a sandy loam. In light, 

 warm soils the Montbretias may remain in the 

 ground through the winter, being covered 

 with light litter during severe frosts. Where 

 the soil is heavy and the district cold it is 

 preferable to lift the roots in late autumn 

 and store them in boxes of light soil in a 

 cold frame during winter. March is the best 

 time to plant. To obtain the best possible 

 flowers annual lifting and replanting is 

 essential. If at lifting time the small bulbs 

 are removed and carefully replanted in the 



