MADONNA 

 LIOES 



lDONNA lily bulbs (Lilium candidums) should be in 

 the ground in September. Why ? Because if these 

 bulbs are planted by that time they will make some 

 necessary and essential growth before the ground freezes. 

 Each bulb should be nested, under and over, in sand, but be- 

 fore doing so dust into all its scales flowers of sulphur (and you need 

 not be afraid of using too much). I plant Madonna lily bulbs only 

 four inches deep, but all Japanese bulbs, such as Auratum, Speci- 

 osum, etc., I plant nine inches deep in sand under and over each 

 bulb. I know this is somewhat deeper than is usually advised, 

 but you will not regret the extra inch or two of depth when you 

 see (the following Summer) the fine straight stalk, firm without 

 staking, just because of this rather deeper planting. If there are 

 liberal spaces between your rhododendrons, and the rhododendrons 

 are where they may be seen from the house, there you may nest 

 these lilies, or in a border against a wall, together with golden 

 Columbines (chrysantha) , Maiden-hair ferns, Alysaum saxatile 

 (the hardy golden Alyssum), and quaint little tufts of the hardy gold 

 and white Viola cornuta. To keep this border abloom until 

 frost, plant the later blooming lilies, using Lilium axirattim bulbs 

 for July lilies and Lilium speciosum alba for August and Sep- 

 tember blooms. They will give us an exquisite gold and white 

 border. If you admire the white Scotch harebells — and is there a 

 flower lover who does not ? — plant clumps of them this Fall back 

 of the white and gold Viola cornutas. 



Remember not to permit any depressions over where your 

 lily bulbs are planted. The earth really should be slightly mounded 

 up to shed rain and melting snow. 



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