761 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



Veronica-Speedwell 



RICHARD ROTHE 



OF the one hundred known species of the genus l^c- 

 ronica. a member of the order Scruphularina:, hardly 

 more than a dozen merit a deeper interest on the 

 part of horticuhurists and garden owners. The low- 

 growing or creeping alpine speedwells, enhancing the 

 beauty of the Spring florescence of rock gardens and 

 conspicuous by their characteristic sheets of bright blue, 

 lavender, or white blossoms endure our hottest and driest 

 SunuTiers and as a rule survive our Winters without in- 

 jury. This applies first of all to our favorite, Veronica ru- 

 pestris, a charming mountain denizen arrayed in clouds of 

 little bright amethyst blue fiovver spikes, literally covering 

 the foliage during June. The speedv.'ell of Scotland, Ve- 

 ronica saxatilis, as well as the bright blue and pale laven- 

 der blossoms of Veronica prostrata, a species inhabiting 

 the mountainous regions of Germany, when in full bloom 

 in our rockeries speak to us in enchanting sentences of 

 glorious Spring days amid high sunny slopes. Very 

 attractive is the silvery white foliage of Veronica incana 

 of southwestern Europe and northern Asia while the vivid 

 blue of slender spikes late in May and early in June add 

 to its beauty. The best white species for rockeries is 

 Veronica repens, hailing from the Island of Corsica, a 

 very low creeping variety with dark green densely set 

 foliage. This species adapts itself very well as ground 



many American gardens. The geniune species Veronica 

 longifolia, hailing from Eastern Europe and the northern 

 part of Asia, produces flowers of lilac purple shades ; 



Veronica virgUiiana alba. 



covering between stepping stones and for roughly set 

 stone plate walks in formal gardens. 



Desirous of full displays of blossoms in vivid colors we 

 have to take up and divide plants every other year, re- 

 setting them in freshly manured soil. The ornamental 

 merit of the taller growing species is well known. Our 

 native speedwell, Veronica zdrginiana, distinguishable by 

 its whorled foliage is more adapted for the wild flower 

 garden. Preferable for stately and graceful effects is its 

 white flowering form, znrginiana alba, depicted by our 

 illustration. Veronica spicata, a native of Central Europe, 

 medium tall, producing slender slcy-blue flower spikes, 

 is one of our hardiest standard border plants. The most 

 popular speedwell, however, is Veronica longifolia sub- 

 sessilis, syn. V. Hendcrsoni, a native of Japan. Its long 

 deep blue spikes during August and September are a 

 conspicuous feature in the mid-Summer color arrays of 



Veronica incana. 



longifolia alba blooms white and longifolia rosea, pink. 

 Concluding I mention the species Veronica aincthystina 

 and V. gcnfianoidcs as being of interest for botanists and 

 plant collectors. 



A'eronicas are raised from seed or propagated by 

 cuttings and divisions. As a rule they prefer a rather 

 light and well-drained soil in open sunny situations. 

 The alpine class calls for light Winter protection, while 

 the taller growing species, with perhaps the exception 

 of Veronica longifolia snbsessilis. within the Middle 

 Atlantic States do not require sj>ecial coverings. 



PROVIDING THE PLANTS WITH WINTER 

 OVERCOATS 



(Continued from page 763) 

 twigs of deciduous trees or dry stalks of any garden plants 

 to keep the manure or other covering from resting too 

 closely upon them and causing them to rot away. In fact, 

 even in the case of some deciduous herbaceous plants, 

 the Peony, for example, there is danger if the crowns are 

 covered too heavily with manure, that these will not rot 

 away. 



How about the field mice housing in these materials 

 which form the Winter overcoats of herbaceous plants? 

 Very likely the mice will make their Winter abode in 

 these coverings, but they do not as a rule make either the 

 roots or tops of herbaceous plants their food, except 

 Tulips and Lilies, and a few other bulbs which should 

 never be covered till the ground is frozen two or three 

 inches deep, so that the mice cannot easily dig down to 

 the bulbs when wintering under the covering. Indeed 

 it is better in the case of nearly all bushes, shrubs, trees 

 and herbaceous plants, that the ground should be frozen to 

 the depth of two or three inches, before they are provided 

 with their Winter overcoats and it should be always kept 

 in mind that these overcoats are just as beneficial in 

 keeping the soil and the plants from alternate freezings 

 and thawings, as in keeping the soil and the plants from 

 freezing any deeper and harder after they are put on the 

 plants. 



