TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 275 



lieautifiil sorts that have sprung up under the florist's care. 

 It is the creeping habit, however, and abundant bloom of V. 

 Melindres, which have given much of their value to the florists' 

 seedlings ; their size, and the more erect habit and fragrance 

 observable in recent varieties, having been derived from V. 

 teucrioides. The Verbena strikes freely undei" a bell-glass in 

 light sandy soil, and very quickly in a mild hotbed ; and it 

 grows freely in any rich light soil — consequently most flower 

 gardens agree with it. New varieties are raised from seeds. 

 The seeds should be sown in pans, and placed in a greenhouse 

 or frame ; the young seedlings at first pricked out into pots, 

 half a dozen in a pot ; and after that planted out in beds six 

 inches apart, until it is seen what flowers they produce, when 

 such as are worthy may be propagated. There is not a better 

 plant for flower-beds and borders at present in cultivation. 

 In geometrical gardens those which approach nearest to the 

 admirable habit of V. Melindres — which creeps along the 

 ground, spreading and rooting at every joint, until it covers a 

 bed like a carpet, and throws up its umbels or trusses of 

 flowers all over its allotted space — should be selected. 

 WhijLes, lilacs, deep" purples, reds, and pinks of all shades 

 abound in this brilliant family. In planting a geometrical 

 garden uniformity of colour should be kept in view: thus, if 

 a parterre be formed of twenty-four beds, these consisting of 

 four sorts of figures, six of each kind, then three of that six 

 should be of one colour, and three of another— say three 

 scarlet and three white ; in the next six, three pink and three 

 dark purple. The other twelve beds may be made up of 

 annuals or perennials of other kinds ; but four distinct 

 colours of Verbena cannot be surpassed, for the length of 

 time they are in bloom, by anything that can be selected. 

 J-^)right blues and bright yellows can be furnished by other 

 things ; but scarlet and white, flesh colour, or pink or deep 

 purple, cannot be furnished by any tribe of plants so well as 

 the Verbena, because they are as close to the ground as a 

 carpet, and last in full bloom for months. Cuttings put in in 

 the autumn will make splendid plants for turning out in the 

 early spring ; but when a stock of plants has not been secured, 

 or the supply is diminished by losses in winter, a few plants 

 put in heat in February will soon supply cuttings, which 



