The Lily Of The Valley

The Lily Of The Valley is so generally considered as a forcing plant that comparatively few people grow it in the garden. It is hardy, and a British wilding. It loves a cool, shady place, and may be naturalised in gardens where such a site can be found for it. One can buy root-clumps for this purpose, and plant them a few inches apart, with the crowns just beneath the surface, in well-manured soil. Separate crowns are preferred for forcing, because if they are very thick at the upper part - as thick as a lead pencil - each one can be relied on to produce flowers, and this cannot be said of the various crowns which, with roots and soil, make up the bulb-dealer's "clump." If early flowers alone are thought of, the crown may be forced in the light; but if leaves are wanted with the flowers, early rooting had better be encouraged by potting the crowns and plunging them for a few weeks with other bulbs. The pots can be stood in a warm house afterwards. Crowns of Lily of the Valley are now put into cold storage and kept dormant until they are wanted, thus the season is made longer than it used to be. Fortin is a splendid variety.

A colony of Snowdrops on a winter day.

Scillas, Or Squills

Scillas, Or Squills, are low-growing, early-blooming bulbs. The species Sibirica is one of the plants which dealers stock in large quantities, and offer at a very low rate, so that it can be colonised if desired. It is a useful little plant for dotting among bulbs in beds, and its deep blue flowers are very pretty. It blooms with the Snowdrops. Bifolia and its varieties flower a little later.

Snowdrops

That little favourite, the Snowdrop, is a delightful plant for naturalising, and may be planted in turf, as well as in selected spots in the woodland and wild garden. The plant known as Galanthus Elwesi is really a giant Snowdrop, and Galanthus Plicatus is another interesting species. These special Snowdrops are worthy of positions in the rock garden, where they will make pretty winter patches.

Fig. 86. - Forcing Lily of the Valley Crowns.

a. A poor crown.

b. A good crown.

c. How to force the crowns in pots in a propagating frame.

The Snowflakes (Botanically Leucojums)

The Snowflakes (Botanically Leucojums), are as pretty as the Snowdrops, with their white, green-tipped flowers. Vernum, the Spring Snowflake, and Aestivum, the Summer Snowflake, are both spring bloomers, but the former is earlier than the latter. Leucojum Vernum Car-pathicum is a charming winter - flowering Snowflake. Vagneri is another fine variety of Vernum. They are all nice flowers for the rockery, or for patches in beds and borders.