Evening star., 1940-05-18
Lilies Are
Glory Of
Garden
Hold the First Place
From Sentimental
Standpoint
BY EDWIN C. POWELL.

BY EDWIN C. POWELL.
The lily holds first place from a
sentimental standpoint, although
the rose is the most popular flower.
There are half dozen varieties
Towering in May and June that sue
ceed we'll in this locality. They are
so beautiful that there should be a
few in every garden.
None surpasses the Madonna
(Candidum) lily for purity of color,
fragrance and lovliness. It Is known
as the Annunciation lily and is prob
ably the Oldest variety in cultiva-
ton and the one depicted in the
earliest illustrations. Well-grown
specimens produce stems about 1
feet in height that bear Is to 20
fragrant pure white funnel shaped
flowers with yellow pollen. This lily
is found in many old gardens every
where and succeeds under a wide
range OF soil and conditions. It has
certain pecularities not possessed by
other lilies. It must be planted
shallow-not over 2 inches deep
and in late August or early Septem-
ber so that it can produce its whorl
Of basal leaves that remain green
over winter. 1t should be neither
mulched nor covered and planted
in full sun. In connection with blue
delphiniums it is most charming.
The Tenuifolium which botanists
have renamed Pumilum, known
commonly as the Coral lily, is one
OF the daintiest and most brilliantly
colored. 1t seldom grows more than
"a inches tall and is useful in the
rock garden. It has narrow leaves,
slender stems, and produces from
a few to 20 coral-red flowers with
recurring petals. The bulbs are
small and should be planted about 4
inches deep.
A closely related variety is Golden
Clean which, through many years
OF selection, has resulted in q more
robust form. 1t grows q few inches
taller and bears flowers of a de-
hghtful golden-apricot shade, but
otherwise resembles Tenuifohum
which Is one of its parents.
The Canada or meadow lily
(Canadense) is q native growing
wild in meadows and marshy places
as far South as Georgia. It is .
good garden subject but is not ap-
preciated as much here as it is In
England, because 1t is &c. common.
1t may grow as tall as 8 feet and
bear 20 flowers, but half the height
and a half dozen flowers are COM
monty attained In the wild. The
flowers, which range in color from
yellow to red, are generally heavily
spotted with small brown spots.
This is q base-rooting lily and
should be planted about 6 inches
deep.
Hanson's lily (HansonD is very
distinctive in that 1t produces flow-
ers with very thick, sti1, waxy
orange-yellow petals with small
brown spots near the base. The
petals are somewhat recurved. The
strong, sturdy plant grows 4 to S
feet tall and bears its leaves in
numerous whorls. It is one of the
first to push up its stems in the
spring and is sometimes caught by
q late frost unless covered at night
when q frost is threatened. Plant
inches deep and in partial shade
to bring out its best color.
The Dauricum-E -Elegans- -Umbella-
tum lilies comprise q group that is
easily grown, not outstandingly
handsome but useful for their early
Towering and reliability. The fiow-
ers are erect, open vase shaped and
OF many shades from light yellow to
deepest red. From one to q half
dozen flowers are borne on stems
to 211z feet tall.
Dauricum makes small white
fragile bulbs that usually wander
about before emerging. Elegans is
q hybrid that produces somewhat
larger flowers. There are many
named varieties. It is easily raised
from seed. The Umbellatum Of
gardens Is a hybrid Of larger
form and more vigorous than the
two preceding. There are many
named varieties that in general
resemble Elegans, which Is one Of
Its parents.
Elegans and Umbellatum produce
large bulbs that should be planted
8 inches deep. They. are stem
roofing and produce many small
| bulbs along the stem ct or below
the ground surface. These should