Lovers of life

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 10

Lovers of life

The nerine is so eager to. press for life that its seed has been known to sprout as the old flower withers in the vase; and forgotten bulbs which were not planted out have produced a flowering stem. Nerines have long been a favourite in the garden and as a potted bulb. They flower predominantly during late summer and into the late autumn to produce a lasting display of bright colour at a time when there is often not much else in the garden. Apart from their attractiveness in the garden they have renowned virtue as a cut flower and will last in excellent shape for a good two weeks before deteriorating. Spider Lily is a common name for these bulbs, but it is not much used despite the fact that it aptly describes the appearance of the flowers. The name of Guernsey lily actually arose through an error in the determination of the origin of these bulbs or, to be more precise. one of the species. When bulbs were discovered growing on the shores of Guernsey Isle it was presumed that the} 1 ’ were at least native if not

indigenous to the area; later it was established that they had been washed ashore from a shipwreck. All but one of the 30 or so species of nerines are indigenous to South Africa, the odd one being of Rhodesian origin; only a very few species are grown to any extent in New Zealand. General requirements are a position in full sun, well drained friable soil tending on the light side and planting with the bulb nestling in the soil, virtually at ground level. Planting is done predominantly in the summer, in groups, say 6 cm to 10 cm apart. They do best in clumps, which should not be disturbed for four to five years or when deterioration of blooming becomes evident. Nerines do not flower until their second year and only the smaller species can be relied upon to flower consistently each year; some of the larger ones are less reliable in this respect. There seem to be very few problems associated with the culture of nerines which is perhaps a little surprising. Heavy soils and poor drainage are

likely to have some effect, from loss of bulbs to poor flowering, and can be avoided. As with belladonna lilies, they like heat and dryness during their dormant period. Ner i n e fothergillii “Major” is one of the most spectacular of all the nerines. If the brilliantly year; some of the larger against a darkish backdrop it will really accentuate the colour of the blooms. This is an autumn species. N. bowderii has bright pink flowers and is to be seen in many gardens. It is earlier flowering than the above and, unlike the previous species, may retain its foliage until well into the flowering season. The bulbs are fully dormant in winter. N. filifolia is probably most widely grown, of the smaller species, and is a reliable and prolific bloomer; flowers are cycla-men-pink in colour. N. sarniensis, the Guernsey lily, is late flowering and very similar to N. fothergillii but has a lighter coloured flower. It is not prolific in blooming and does best after a period of warmth and sunshine.