VIBURNUM. 



537 



VINCA. 



uninjured. The miniature annual varieties 

 Veronica Syriaca and V. alba make very 

 pretty small beds and edgings during the 

 summer and autumn, but in spring they are 

 much more effective ; we therefore recom- 

 mend their being sown in autumn for the 

 decoration of the spring garden. One of the 



VINCA MINOR, OR LESSER PERIWINKLE. 



prettiest of the veronicas is V. chanuxdrys, 

 otherwise known as Germander Speedwell, 

 or God's Eye, is indigenous to this country, 

 and is easily recognised by its bright blue 

 blossoms. The perennial veronicas thrive 

 in any fairly good garden soil, and are pro- 

 pagated most readily by division of the 

 roots or by cuttings. 



Viburnum (not. ord. Caprifolia'cese). 



A genus of hardy deciduous trees and 

 shrubs, with white flowers sometimes 

 slightly tinged with pink. They thrive in 

 any soil, and the shrubby species are most 

 useful and beautiful in shrubberies. Of 

 these the best known is Viburnum ofeilus, 

 also called the Guelder Rose and Snowball 

 Tree, from its white blossoms, which grow 

 in cymes, almost globular in form. It is 

 easily propagated by suckers or layers, put 

 down in the spring. The Common Way- 

 faring Tree, V. lantana, is another shrub 

 belonging to this genus. 



Victoria Regina (not. ord. Nymphoe- 



a'cese). 



A most splendid aquatic plant, requiring 

 much space and a very warm house. Its 

 native country is Guiana, where it was dis- 

 covered by Sir R. Schomburgk, in 1837, 

 who described it as a " vegetable wonder." 

 The leaves are from 6 to 7 feet in dia- 

 meter, salver -shaped, with a broad rim of 

 light green above and vivid crimson below. 

 Its flower, which rests upon the water, 

 is in character with the leaves ; when it 

 first opens it is white, with pink in the 

 centre, which spreads over the whole flower 

 as it advances in age. It is generally pink 

 the second day after its expansion. The 

 flower is very sweet-scented. 



Vin'ca (<*/. ord. Apocyna'cese). 



This is the botanical or scientific name of 

 the common Periwinkle, and of its class 

 there are many beautiful varieties, of which 

 Vinca major elegantissima, V. major reti- 

 culata, V. minor argentea, and V. minor 

 aurea, are all variegated and very showy. 



VINCA MAJOR, OR GREATER PERIWINKLE. 



They grow in any soil, and look well on 

 rock-work. Under the name Vinca also 

 are included many choice greenhouse ever- 

 greens, as remarkable for their shining green 



