CHAPTER III
HARDY BULBS
Amaryllises — Anthericums — Antholyzas — Apios — Arisæmas — Arums — Asphodelines — Asphodeluses — Belamcanda — Bloomerias — Brodiæas — Bulbocodiums
Amaryllises
The only really hardy Amaryllis is A. Belladonna, the Belladonna Lily, which is a very effective plant with silvery rose flowers in late summer or early autumn. The leaves appear in spring, and as the flowers come after these have withered, the Belladonna Lily should have some carpeting plant above the bulbs. It is quite hardy if planted in a warm, sunny position, near a wall, and the tops of the bulbs at least six inches below the surface. It is safer to put some dry leaves or other light material over the bulbs in severe winters, removing this when the leaves come through. It also makes a good pot plant. The form major is even finer.
Anthericums
Some of the hardy plants cultivated in gardens as Anthericums are now included by botanists in other genera, but they will be more conveniently dealt with together under their popular names in gardens. Several of these are very ornamental plants, with handsome spikes of beautiful flowers. They grow well in common soil, not too dry, and are best planted in autumn or spring, at which times they may be divided when desired. Liliago, St Bernard's Lily, grows about one and a half foot high, and has pretty white flowers from May. There is a larger form, called major. A. Liliastrum, St Bruno's Lily, now Paradisea Liliastrum, and also named Czackia Liliastrum, is a still prettier plant, with larger fragrant flowers in the beginning of summer. It is taller than the foregoing. There is a fine variety called major. Ramosum (syn. graminifolium), is pretty also, though the flowers are smaller than those of A. Liliago. It flowers in June, and has white blooms on stems about two feet high, and narrow leaves. Hookeri, whose proper name is Bulbinella Hookeri, is a good plant for a moist border, and has nice yellow flowers in summer.
Antholyzas
Antholyzas are effective plants allied to the Gladiolus and Crocosma, and look very striking in the border. Several are hardy in the greater portion of the United Kingdom if planted about three inches deep and covered the first winter with about two inches of cocoa-nut fibre. One of the best is Antholyza paniculata, which has scarlet and yellow flowers and blooms in autumn. It has handsome leaves, and grows about three feet high, Æthiopica, Cunonia, and spicata are all effective, but paniculata seems the hardiest of all. There is a variety known as major. They can also be grown in pots for the conservatory.
Apios
The only plant of the genus in cultivation is A. tuberosa, the Ground Nut, a hardy North American plant of climbing habit, with sweet-scented purple flowers in August. It is hardy in a sunny, sheltered position, and should be planted three inches deep in rich soil in late autumn or spring.