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VERONICA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VERONICA. 



V. CATARRACT^E. A slender, much- 

 branched shrub of i to 2 feet, with long, 

 narrow, pointed leaves, evenly serrate at 

 the edges, and large white flowers in July. 



V. CHATHAMICA. Makes dense trailing 

 cushions of glossy-green glaucous leaves, 

 with close cone-shaped flower clusters of 

 pale mauve or rosy-purple fading to white. 

 There is a distinct form called minor. 

 Chatham Islands. 



Shrubby Speedwell. 



V. COLENSOI. A variable little shrub 

 running into several other kinds by inter- 

 mediate forms. It is one of the best for 

 the rock garden, hardy, with narrow 

 stemless leaves, tapering towards the base, 

 and dense clusters of pure white flowers 

 from every leaf axil during June and July. 



V. CUPRESSOIDES. One of the strangest 

 of the alpine kinds resembling Conifers. 

 This is like a little Cypress, with slender, 

 bright green branches rising erect from 

 2 to 4 feet, bearing pale violet flowers in 

 small clusters at the tips of the shoots. 

 It is fully hardy and grows best on light 

 gritty soils of fair depth, overlaid with 

 flat stones to retain moisture. 



V. DIOSMAEFOLIA. A dainty little shrub, 

 but tender. The leaves are borne in 



pretty flatly-spreading sprays, and taper 

 sharply to each end ; the flowers are 

 white with pink anthers, opening in June. 

 It is useful under glass in winter, and 

 bears gentle forcing. 



V. ELLIPTICA. - The only tree - like 

 species, growing 30 feet high in parts of 

 South America and New Zealand. In the 

 mildest parts of Britain (Scilly Isles and 

 Isle of Man) it also reaches a large size, 

 flowering almost continuously even in 

 winter. The leaves are narrow, closely 

 set, and bright green ; the flowers white, 

 rather large, and fragrant. 



V. EPACRIDEA. A pretty little shrub, 

 tender, not easily grown, and shy in 

 flower, yet charming where it thrives. 

 The rigid much-branched shoots are very 

 like those of an Epacris, with leaves dark, 

 glossy, and curving upwards. Though 

 small, the flowers last a long while, and 

 once established on the rock garden few 

 shrubs are more interesting. 



V. GLAUCO-C^ERULEA. A choice hardy 

 plant about a foot high, with neat oblong 

 leaves barely half an inch long, bluish-grey 

 with purple edges, and borne on dark 

 purple stems. The bright blue flowers 

 are beautiful, and it is one of the most 

 charming of hardy shrubs for the rock 

 garden. V. canterburiensis is like this, 

 save in its lively shining green colour and 

 its white flowers with blue anthers. 



V. HECTORI. Belongs to the alpine 

 group from the mountain tops. Its stems 

 are like green and polished whipcord, upon 

 which the leaves appear as tiny scales. 

 It is of slow growth, standing only a few 

 inches high, while the white or rosy 

 flowers are seldom seen even in its own 

 land. It does best in gritty soil, and, 

 though hardy, needs care as to soil and 

 position. Cuttings of this kind root 

 slowly and with difficulty. 



V. HULKEANA. One of the most charm- 

 ing of Veronicas, tender save in the milder 

 parts of Britain and in warm nooks near 

 the sea, and even then best against walls 

 where shelter can be given from late 

 frosts. A light soil and partial shade are 

 the best conditions, resulting in a free 

 growth several feet in height, with oval 

 notched leaves and many spikes of pale 

 lilac flowers in May. 



V. KIRKII. A tall, handsome shrub, 

 fairly hardy near the sea, with fresh green 

 leaves, narrowly lance - shaped, set on 

 dark polished stems. The graceful spikes 

 of white or pale mauve flowers, 4 to 8 

 inches long, appear only on large plants 

 during early summer, and are highly 

 useful for cutting. 



V. LAVAUDIANA. A small prostrate 

 shrub about 8 inches high, with stout 

 trailing branches set with glossy pink- 

 edged leaves, and bearing large white, 

 rosy, or purple flowers in May. It is 

 charming in the rock garden, of rather 



