764 VERBENA. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEtf. 



VERONICA. 



V. PYRAMIDATUM (Pyramidal M.). Has 

 candelabrum-like branches of bright yellow 

 flowers, is a good plant, perennial on warm 

 rich soils, and effective with its towering 

 stems and huge rosettes of crisped leaves. 

 Siberia. 



Other Verbascums of interest are 

 macrurum, longifolium, virgatum, Blat- 

 taria, niveum, Boerhavi, sinuatum, 

 orientate, and Caledonia. 



Verbascuin phloinoides. 



VERBENA. Beautiful half-hardy 

 trailing plants, which of late have not 

 been popular in gardens, probably on 

 account of the vermin that attacks 

 them. Verbenas bloom profusely till 

 late in the autumn, and if temporarily 

 disfigured a burst of sunshine quickly 

 restores their beauty. There are many 

 fine varieties, English and foreign, and 

 a pretty bed may be gained by mixing 

 some of these together. Put out the 

 plants about the end of May, and as 

 they grow peg the shoots securely over 

 the bed, keeping them well thinned. 

 The best way of ensuring good cuttings 

 for spring propagation is to put out 

 a few reserve plants in spring, dis- 

 courage flowering for a time, and root 



batches of cuttings in August and 

 September. Give them a shift then 

 into larger pots of rich soil. Soon 

 afterwards set these store plants in a 

 cool house or a pit from which frost is 

 excluded. 



Of late years Verbenas have been 

 most successfully raised from seed 

 sown about the middle of January in 

 light soil in a warm frame or pit. 

 Wintering the plants is a troublesome 

 matter, but with seedlings it can be 

 avoided, and they have vigour to 

 resist the disease. Their wonderful 

 diversity and brilliancy of colour and 

 their many flowers combine to make 

 them most effective plants. Seed is 

 sold in colours which come remarkably 

 true scarlet, blue, white, carnation, 

 flaked, and other forms. The scarlet 

 kind is from the old Defiance, and its 

 growth and freedom are marvellous. 



V. VENOSA. A perennial kind, 12 to 18 

 inches high, with purple-violet blossoms, 

 is hardier than ordinary Verbenas, less 

 apt to mildew, and cheerful even in 

 drenching rains. It is easily wintered, 

 its fleshy roots being stored thickly in 

 boxes, and the young shoots rooted in 

 spring. When the roots are lifted in 

 autumn place them at once in boxes, 

 which should be stored in a cool place 

 until required for propagation. In bor- 

 ders they will remain for years if protected 

 through the winter. Argentine. 



VERBESINA. F. encelioides is a 

 half-hardy annual, i to 2 feet high, 

 with broad clusters of golden-yellow 

 blossoms. California, Texas, and 

 Mexico. V. gigantea, from Jamaica, 

 is about 6| feet high, and very pleasing, 

 with its round green stems covered 

 with large, winged, glistening, green 

 leaves. It is suitable for beds or 

 groups, and should be planted out 

 early in June. F. pinnatifida is a 

 rough half-shrubby species, with larger 

 leaves. Both these require heat in 

 winter. Cuttings root easily in spring, 

 and grow fast when put out in a shel- 

 tered position and rich light soil. 



VERNONIA (Ironweed) . Coarse 

 N. American composites, of which 

 some half - dozen are in cultivation. 

 They bloom so late as to be scarcely 

 worth growing, but F. prcealta is a 

 stately plant for the wild garden. 

 Even if its flowers are injured or escape 

 us, it may be grown in a ditch or open 

 spot in a wood. Division. 



VERONICA (Speedwell}. A large 

 family very variable in structure and 

 appearance. Many arc trailing or 



