THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



917 



flowers arid flower-trusses also are larger. It 

 is possibly not quite so hardy as some forms of 

 Laurustinus, and should have a sheltered, 

 sunny spot. Another variety is Var. hirtum, 

 the distinguishing character of which is the 

 hairiness of the leaves and branches, and Var. 

 purpumm has the leaves suffused with a dull 

 purple tinge. Laurustinus can be struck from 

 cuttings. 



V. WRIGHTII is an erect shrub from the 

 mountains of N. Japan, and hardy in Britain, 

 though as yet hardly known. It is of spreading 

 habit, and fine in fruit. The leaves are large, 

 thick, and rounded, coarsely toothed, and 

 finely tinted with scarlet and ruddy-purple on 

 fading, and its large fruits are brilliant in their 

 early stages. This kind promises to be one of 

 the best for autumn effect. 



VICIA ( VetcJi). Perennial and annual 

 herbs, several of which are native, and 

 worthy of more care than they often get. 

 They grow freely in almost any soil, and 

 are raised from seed and increased by 

 careful division. The following are the 

 most useful species : 



V. ARGENTEA (Silvery Vetch) has silvery 

 leaves and prostrate habit, is without tendrils, 

 about 8 ins. high, spreading freely in light 

 soil ; the rather large whitish flowers are 

 veined with violet in the upper, and spotted 

 with purple in the lower, part. It is not a 

 brilliant plant in flower, but the elegant foliage 

 makes it worthy of a place in the rock-garden. 

 Pyrenees, division or seed. 



V. CRACCA (Purple Vetch}. A pretty 

 mative plant common in many districts, 

 wreathing hedgerows and bushy tufts with its 

 graceful shoots and numerous fine bluish- 

 purple flowers. In many districts it plants 

 itself so prettily and frequently that there is no 

 need to cultivate it. Where this does not 

 occur, it is worth growing as a dwarf climber, 

 growing 2 to 3 ft. high, and trailing gracefully 

 among dwarf shrubs. It is perennial, and 

 should be kept in the rougher parts of the 

 .garden, where it is unlikely ever to cause 

 trouble. 



V. ONOBRYCHUS is a lovely Vetch bearing 

 long and handsome racemes of flower during 

 summer, when it brightens the Alps of France 

 .and Italy, giving an effect like that of some of 

 the purple Australian Pea-flowers. It is best 

 grouped or scattered in a colony in the rock- 

 garden or on a grassy bank. 



V. PYRENAICA is a graceful perennial of 

 dwarf habit with abundant rich purple flowers 

 of large size from April to June. It is one of 

 the prettiest of Pea-flowered rock-plants, its 

 soft green, finely-cut leaves making a cheerful 

 groundwork, drooping from rocky shelves or 

 draping old walls. It spreads freely by under- 

 ground runners, but is easily kept in bounds 

 and not at all troublesome. Pyrenees. 



V. SYLVATICA (Wood Vetch). This pretty 

 native plant, with trailing stems of 5 or 6 ft., 

 threads its way through shrubs and hedges, 

 displaying abundant creamy-white flowers 



streaked with blue or purple, and bright pea- 

 green leaves cut into many leaflets. Like 

 V. Cracca this is plentiful in some localities, 

 but where unknown as a wild plant, it is well 

 worth cultivation in the rock- or woodland 

 garden, and is easily raised from seed. Other 

 species of some merit are V. Orobus (Bitter 

 Vetch) with large purplish-white flowers in 

 clusters ; V. Sepium ; and V. unijuga, with 

 violet-purple flowers in dense racemes. 



Vieusseuxia. See MOR^EA. 



VILLARSIA ( Yellow Buckbeari). V. 

 nymphceoides is a pretty British water 

 plant, with leaves like a Water-Lily, but 

 smaller, and floating. Its yellow flowers 

 are borne singly, but are numerous and 

 last through the summer. It is one of the 

 best of water plants. Division. 



Other and scarcer kinds are ovata and 

 trachysperina with white flowers, and 

 parnassifolia in which they are yellow. 

 In V. lacunorum they are white and semi- 

 double like a tiny water-lily ; while in V. 

 indica, a pretty tender kind sometimes 

 put out in summer, they are beautifully 

 fringed. 



VINCA (Periwinkle}. Perennial 

 trailers, hardy and vigorous anywhere. 

 The well-known V. major (common Peri- 

 winkle) is useful for banks or masses of 



Vinca major. 



rootwork, and also for rocky places or by 

 wood walks, and there are variegated 

 varieties, and one with golden leaves. 

 The lesser Periwinkle ( V. minor) is much 

 smaller and useful for the same positions ; 

 it also has several varieties worth grow- 

 ing ; a white-flowered one ( V. m. alba) 



