858 



VICIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VIOLA. 



of Great Britain and Ireland, especially near 

 the sea and on warm and gravelly soil, though 

 now and then injured by severe winters even 

 in the country south of London. In sunny 

 positions it usually flowers freely, but not in 

 shade, commencing to bloom in December, it 

 will continue till the end of March. Although 

 all itsi flowers are perfect, it does not ripen 

 fruit regularly, but fruits occasionally occur, the 

 colour being a dark blue. There are several 

 varieties of the Laurustinus, one of which, the 

 VAR. LUCIDUM, has fine large leaves, shining 

 and almost smooth on both sides, and the 

 flowers and 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. hirtiim, 

 the distinguishing character of which is the 

 hairiness of the leaves and branches, and Var. 

 purpurum has the leaves suffused with a dull 

 purple tinge. Laurustinus can be struck from 

 cuttings. 



V. PLICATUM (Japanese Guelder Rose). A 

 very sturdy, robust, flowering shrub. I have 

 seen young, newly-rooted plants injured the 

 first year after being put out, but when once 

 established it will stand any frost vip to 30 

 without lasting injury. It is a shrub of neat, 

 yet graceful habit, well clothed with dark 

 green, rather plaited leaves. It bears its 

 fine trusses, 3 in. or more across, on short 

 branches springing from the whole length of 

 the previous year's growth, thus forming fine 

 sprays of pure white blossom. Syn. V. 

 Tomentosum Var. W. J. B. 



VICIA ( Vetch}. Perennial and annual 

 plants, several of which are natives. V. 

 Cracca, V. Orobus, V. sylvatica,V. Sepium, 

 and V. argentea are the most desirable, 

 but are not of great importance. V. 

 argentea has elegant silvery leaves, but is 

 rare in cultivation. Vicias grow freely 

 in almost any soil, ancf are raised from 

 seeds. 



VIEUSSEUXIA (Blue-eyed Peacock 

 Iris]. V. glaucopis is a beautiful bulbous 

 plant 9 to 15 in. high, with flowers in early 

 summer, about 2 in. across, pure white, 

 with a beautiful porcelain-blue stain 

 nearly \ in. broad at the base of each of 

 the three larger divisions. This stain is 

 deep violet at the base, and margined 

 with dark purple teeth. The plant should 

 be grown on warm sheltered borders in 

 sandy peat or sandy loam and leaf-mould. 

 Increased by separation of the bulbs in 

 autumn. Cape of Good Hope. Syn., Iris 

 Pavonia. 



VILLARSIA ( Yellow Buckbean\ V. 

 nymphccoides is an interesting British 

 water plant, with leaves like those of a 

 Water-Lily, but smaller, and floating. Its 

 yellow flowers are borne in summer singly, 

 but are very numerous, and lasting through 

 the summer. It is one of the best of 

 water flowers. Division. 



yiNCA (Periwinkle}. -- Perennia. 

 trailers, hardy and vigorous in almost any 

 soil. The well-known V. major (common 

 Periwinkle) is useful for banks on masses 

 of rootwork, and also for rocky places or 

 by wood walks and there are several 

 variegated varieties, including a golden- 

 leaved kind. The lesser Periwinkle (V. 

 minor) is much smaller than V. major, 

 and useful for the same positions, has 

 several varieties well worthy of cultiva- 

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

 a reddish one, and one or two double 



ones, and there are also several variegated 

 forms. V. herbacea is much less frequently 

 seen than our common Periwinkles, but 

 is more worthy of culture on rocks, as it is 

 not rampant in habit. It is a native of 

 Hungary, flowers in spring and early sum- 

 mer, and its stems die down every year. 

 V. acutiloba is a distinct and elegant 

 Periwinkle, and flowers late in autumn 

 and in winter, bearing delicate mauve 

 blossoms. It is suitable for sunny banks 

 and slopes and for warm borders. 



VIOLA ( Violet}. A beautiful and well- 

 known family, many kinds of which are 

 alpine flowers. Some Violets are among 

 the most beautiful ornaments which be- 

 deck the alpine turf ; and even the com- 

 mon Violet itself may almost be claimed 

 as an alpine plant, for it wanders along 

 hedgerow and hillside, along copses and 

 thin woods, all the way to Sweden. 

 From all kinds of Violets the world of 

 wild flowers derives a precious treasure 

 of beauty and delicate fragrance ; and 



