THE BULB GARDEN 161 



bulbils produced so freely in the axils of the leaves. 

 The rich apricot tint of its spotted flowers is 

 scarcely to be matched in any other flower; and 

 its late blooming from August to October makes 

 it doubly welcome. Martagons, on the whole, are 

 the least esteemed among lilies ; but the choicest 

 of all the group is the white martagon. It prefers 

 a position that is partially shaded a characteristic 

 of most lilies and the tall spikes of pure white 

 turkscap flowers are peculiarly lovely in the sum- 

 mer twilight, and it might be counted one of the 

 rare gems of any garden. 



L. elegans and its varieties constitute another 

 distinct group of lilies of very dwarf habit and 

 remarkably brilliant colouring, which ranges from 

 pale yellow to rich crimson mahogany. This type 

 of lily is useful for planting towards the forefront 

 amongst shrubs, especially where the soil is of 

 light peaty nature, and is very hardy and free- 

 flowering. 



Japan lilies, by which are usually meant the dif- 

 ferent varieties of L. auratum and L. speciosum, 

 are well suited to the same kind of position amongst 

 rhododendrons, but must be allowed plenty of 

 room, as they are tall and spreading when in 

 flower. Both species are magnificent when they 

 become thoroughly established, and where the con- 

 ditions are suitable. In many gardens they are 

 short-lived, and have to be frequently renewed, but 

 thousands are sent over yearly from Japan, and 

 they can now be obtained at comparatively small 

 cost, which makes replacement an easier matter 

 than it used to be. The strong vanilla-like scent 



