268 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



compact growth, it combines a ricli tone of colour. AJuga rejitans 

 atropurpurea deaerves general attentiou, for it is dwarf and com- 

 pact, has rich bronzy leaves, and, moreover, is perfectly hardy. For 

 a band from six to twelve inches in width, I know of no more use- 

 ful plant. 



"We have absolutely nothing in the way of silvery-leaved plants 

 that can be considered new. Leucopliijton Browni has recently been 

 brought forward as a bedder, but it is not new, neither is it adapted 

 to the requirements of amateurs. It is rather difficult to propagate, 

 and requires more than a usual amount of attention to keep it in 

 proper trim. The most useful white or silvery-leaved plants are 

 Cerastiuiii io'inentosum, and Eclicceria secunda fjlauca for marginal or 

 divisional lines, and Cenfaurea ragusina for central blocks or for 

 front lines in association with rather tall-growing geraniums. 



Verbenas have done exceedingly well with me this season, and, 

 in fact, in the district generally. I have a somewhat extensive col- 

 lection, and the following varieties are, in my opinioxi, the best in 

 cultivation for bedding purposes : — Blue Boij, dark blue, flowers 

 rather large ; Celesticd Blue, light blue ; Crimson King, crimson- 

 scarlet, very brilliant in colour, fine habit, the best of the scarlet 

 varieties ; Mvquisite, pink, a pretty variety, and the best of the 

 colour ; King of Bedders, crimson-scarlet, free, and of good habit ; 

 La 'Grande Boule de Neige, the best verbena with pure white flowers ; 

 Lord Raglan, an old strong-growing variety, with salmon-scarlet 

 flowers ; Mrs. Mole, lavender, distinct and good ; Purple King, 

 purple, distinct and good ; Sprite, pale flesh-pink, pleasing in colour ; 

 Wonderful, deep plum-colour. Verbenas require, for their success- 

 ful cultivation, an open situation, and soil that has been stirred 

 deeply and enriched with a good dressing of manure or leaf-mould 

 some time in the winter previous to planting. 



Several new lobelias have made their appearance within a com- 

 paratively short period, and two or three of these may be regarded 

 as most desirable acquisitions. Blucstone is one of the best of the 

 new varieties, belonging to the speciosa type, and is most valuable, 

 for the flowers are of an intense indigo blue, and as there is no white 

 eye to interfere with the general efl'ect, a band or block is exceed- 

 ingly rich and telling. It is a capital companion to Blue King, 

 which lias self-coloured light blue flowers, and is one of the best in 

 its tone of colour. Pmnila magnlfica is one of the finest bedding- 

 lobelias distributed for many years past. It is of free, vigorous 

 growth, attaining, under ordinary conditions, a height of six inches, 

 and it is quite as compact as the well-known Ptimila grandiflora. 

 The flowers are of a fine deep blue, and the plants bloom so freely 

 that throughout the season they are perfectly solid with bloom. 

 It is one of the very finest lobelias with blue flowers in cultivation, 

 and as it may now be had at less than a shilling per plant, it is 

 within the reach of all. Duchess of Edinhurgh, a white variety, sent 

 o\it by Mr. Charles Turner in the early part of the year, is pretty 

 and compact, and well adapted for front lines. Lustrous is not new, 

 but it is so good that it ought to be extensively grown ; the flowers 

 are of a fine deep blue, with white eye, and the plant, although 



