Ixiolirions
Few people seem to grow the Ixiolirions, which are pretty summer blooming bulbs with umbels of lilac or blue flowers on stems about a foot high. This is unfortunate, as they are of pleasing appearance, though it is to be regretted that they are among those troublesome bulbs which are almost hardy, yet not absolutely to be depended upon in our climate. If planted in the open, this ought to be done in spring, and the bulbs lifted in autumn, and stored in dry sand, but it is more satisfactory to grow them in a frame or cool greenhouse in pots of loam, leaf-soil, and sand. There are two species—montanum and kolpakowskianum, the latter having a smaller bulb and shorter segments. The variety tataricum is considered a separate species by some botanists.
Moræas
Moræas are charming plants resembling the Irises, and are of bright colours, and generally very fragrant. They should either be grown in a frame with some winter protection, or in a cool greenhouse or conservatory planted out in rather sandy soil or in pots. Out of some sixty species, there are few not worth growing, but corms of only a limited number are purchasable in the ordinary course, and the best of these are named as a guide. They are often found about six inches high, but frequently grow much taller. Edulis has bluish-white flowers; iridioides, white, spotted yellow; papilionacea, pale-blue, spotted dark-blue; spathacea (syn. Dietes Huttoni), yellow; and tricuspis, greyish yellow and brown. Robinsoniana, also called Iris robinsoniana, needs a greenhouse, and has white flowers and handsome leaves with the habit of Phormium tenax. The genus now includes the Vieusseuxias and Dietes, which are sub-genera.
Ornithogalums
It is singular that the half-hardy Ornithogalums are so little grown, as they are very easily managed in a frame or unheated greenhouse, and will even do in a warm border in the south. They like a light soil and a sunny position, and to be well ripened after flowering. The prettiest of the half-hardy species are O. aureum, yellow; O. arabicum, white with almost black centres, a very effective plant; and the pure white O. revolutum They may be planted about three inches deep.
Oxalises
The tender Oxalises or Wood-Sorrels, are deserving of more attention from those who have sunny frames or unheated greenhouses, or even a sunny window, where these flowers can open, for all are sun-lovers. They like a light, rather sandy soil and may be planted in autumn or early spring about two inches deep. They are too numerous to detail, but I may name the following as all worth growing, although the list might be considerably extended. Arenaria, violet-purple; articulata, mauve; Barrelieri, yellow; elegans, purple; hirta, red; valdiviensis, yellow; variabilis, white or red; and versicolor, white and red. Those named among the hardy bulbs can also be grown under glass.
LILIUM AURATUM