In article , Sacha
writes
On 7/11/04 9:24, in article , "Kay"
wrote:

They seem to like bare soil, somewhere where they can be the only ground
level plant.
Maybe that's the answer - a total lack of competition.

That was what was puzzling me when I wrote it. AFAIK, they're one of the
plants that like the cracks in a limestone pavement - ie shade, cool,
and not much competition. But the bare soil under a magnolia isn't
entirely free of competition - there's the magnolia roots. Maybe tree
roots aren't in the top inch, and it's the top inch where lily of the
valley do their spreading?

But it does seem to be the bare soil which is the common factor in their
preferred sites in my garden.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"