Achievement with Lilies 
(Written Exclusively for my Catalogue) 
— by— 
KOMAINE B. WARE 
Ijilies, not every kind, but many very lovely ones, may easily be the high spots of your 
garden parade. With careful selection of varieties, there can be a constant succession of 
their stately elegance. Lilies lend charm and distinction to the garden from the early 
blooming of the gay cherry-red Tenuifolium to the last splash of color from L. Speciosum. 
Where early frosts do not prevail, the late blooming form of the gloriously satisfactory 
Formosanum will flaunt its lovely white trumpets even later still. During the summer 
months a constant succession of Lilies may be enjoyed, with the famous Regal probably most 
popular and easily the most satisfactory. 
Success with these garden aristocrats as with many other worthwhile flowers asks but 
that their few modest requirements be not overlooked. And one of their principal demands 
is good drainage; not difficult to provide, but all too frequently neglected. Most of them 
thrive in average garden soil, and they relish a reasonable portion of compost, sand and 
leafmold. 
Lilies, the majority of them, like to thrust their waxy blooms up into the sunshine but 
prefer the base of their stems shaded. Maybe they’re a bit snobbish about their associates 
for they do not seem to enjoy proximity to perennials such as hardy Phlox, Peonies, Hem- 
erocallis. Hollyhocks, Helenium and others of a vigorous nature. Aristocratic Lilies do not 
seem to look well in the plebian crowds, rather group them, three, five or a dozen of a kind, 
against a dark backdrop and clothe the ground around them with drifts of things like 
Aquilegia, the Rues, Thermopsis, Iceland Poppies, Heuchera, Lupine, Flax, Plumbago or a 
dozen and one others which neither crowd nor smother. 
In planting for picture effect with Lilies, and few plant families lend themselves more 
delightfully to garden pictures, plan that Lilies shall be the dominant feature and other 
plantings the accessories. Let Lilies play the leading role and plant them around the 
supporting cast. Even drifts of annuals make effective foils, especially if sown in the fall 
and, of course, only the low foliage kinds are suitable. Cornflowers, Lupines, Nigelia, 
Petunias, Sweet Alyssum, Ageratum, Heliotrope, Calliopsis and scores of others are good. 
A gray stone wall or even rosy brick makes a good background. And the black-green 
of that best-of-all evergreen, the Yew, makes a stunning curtain against which these garden 
princesses may sway and pose. If you have a gray stone wall in your garden, try clumps 
of yellow-flowered L. Hansoni together with white L. Martagon and mass the base with 
feathery Meadow-Rue among which is planted purple Violas and blue Forget-me-nots. If 
back of the wall dark masses of Yew or Pine rear spire-like, the picture will be complete. 
In the garden of one worshiper at the shrine of Lilies, an especially effective planting was 
made of bright orange Croceum Lilies arising from purple Petunias. Simple! But how 
delightful! And there are scores of other charming combinations as easy to achieve. 
The common but mistaken belief that all Lilies are hard to grow is gradually disappear¬ 
ing as more and more garden lovers prove to themselves the contrary. Lilies, the royalty of 
the plant world, can dwell in YOUR garden, if only you study their demands. Whether or not 
the Lily ever rivals the Rose in popularity, one thing is true, many of the Lilies do not ask 
the pampering fair Rosa demands. They don’t want coddling but, like most beauties, thrive 
on love and attention. Handled with discrimination, they reward you generously. 
SWEENEY, STRAUB ft DIMM 
HORTICULTURAL PRINTERS 
PORTLAND, OREGON 
23 
