This text is written to dispel the myth that lilies are difficult to grow and best left to "specialists". This illustrated handbook is aimed specifically at the amateur and is a tribute to these plants which the author feels deserve a much wider appreciation. In spite of an ever-increasing interest in gardens and gardening, the lily had not received the attention which many experts feel its individual beauty as well as its contribution to garden "pictures" deserves. Too often the lily remains the domain of the "specialist" in spite of the fact that it is believed to have been cultivated for longer that any other ornamental flower, having existed in gardens over 3,000 years ago. Gertrude Jekyll's illustrated "guide for amateurs" aims to fill a gap in the literature of the subject and also to encourage those keen to learn more about this beautiful plant. Her hope was that she would excite those readers who, through the pages of this book, will "discover" lilies for the very first time. Although many of today's species have been developed since the 1940s, this work should be a practical aid to those willing to grow these magnificent flowers.