724 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS veronica 



W. amherstiana. — A rare Himalayan 

 species witli ovate oblong or spoon-shaped 

 leaves 2-5 in. long, coarsely crenate or 

 lobulate, narrowed at the base and some- 

 what pinnately cut. Flowers in July, 

 about 5 in. long, blue, with lance-shaped 

 acute lobes, borne in long slender racemes 

 on scapes 5-10 in. high. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species grows freely in light rich soil and 

 prefers partially shaded positions in the 

 rook garden with a north or west aspect. 

 It may be increased by dividing the tufts 

 carefully in spring, also by imported seeds 

 sown in gentle heat at the same period, 

 and grown on for about a year before 

 planting out. In wet winters it is advis- 

 able to protect the plants with a sheet of 

 glass, as they are apt to rot away with too 

 much cold moisture. 



W. carinthiaca. — An almost stemless 

 evergreen, native of the Carinthian Alps, 

 with more or less obovate-oblong, doubly 

 crenate leaves, slightly lobed and narrowed 

 at the base ; radical ones few, 3-8 in. 

 long. Flowers in summer, blue, drooping, 

 about I in. long, in dense spilce-liio 

 racemes at the top of a scape 1-2 ft. long. 



Culture dc. as above. Suitable for 

 rockeries or borders in moist sandy soU, 

 requiring similar treatment to W. am- 

 lierstiana. 



P^EDEROTA. — A genus with 2 

 species of low, somewhat downy or hairy 

 perennial herbs, having opposite, serrate, 

 or incised leaves, and blue or yellow flowers 

 in dense terminal spikes. Calyx 5-parted. 

 Corolla- tube cylindrical ; limb somewhat 

 '2-lipped with erect or spreading lobes, the 

 upper one entire, the lower one 3-cleft. 

 Stamens 2 ; protruding capsule reflexed. 



Culture and Propagation. — Although 

 perennial these plants are usually treated 

 as annuals, and are raised from seed sown 

 either in early spring in gentle heat and 

 planted out in May, or in September, and 

 wintered in cold frames. They flourish 

 in the rock garden, in well-drained sandy 

 soil or a compost of peat, lime, and sand, 

 and do not like too much moisture, 

 except in particularly hot summers. Both 

 species are natives of the mountains of 

 Central and E. Europe. A natural hybrid 

 named Churchilli has been obtained by 

 crossing the two species described below. 



P. Ageria. — A somewhat downy species 

 12-18 in. high with leaves varymg from 

 ovate at the base to narrow, lance-shaped. 



toothed above, the intermediate ones being 

 about 1 J in. long and 1 in. broad. Flowers 

 in May and June, yellow, about i in. long, 

 in short compact spikes. 

 Culture dc. as above. 



P. Bonarota. — A hairy species 2-6 in. 

 high, with lower rounded leaves, the upper 

 ones ovate or lance-shaped, toothed or 

 cut. Flowers in May and June, blue, 

 about J in. long, in roundish or oblong 

 spikes 1-3 in. long. 



Culture do. as above. 



VERONICA (Speedwell; Canceb- 

 wort). — A genus containing about 160 

 species of herbs, shrubs, or rarely trees, 

 with opposite and alternate or rarely 

 whorled leaves. Flowers in terminal 

 spikes or racemes, rarely solitary and 

 axillary, blue, purple, flesh-coloured or 

 white, but never yellow. Calyx 4-5- or 

 very rarely 3-parted. Corolla rotate or 

 shortly bell-shaped, with 4-5 unequal, 

 spreading lobes. Stamens 2, protruding. 

 Capsule flattened or turgid, containing 

 few or mauy seeds. 



Veronicas differ a great deal in habit 

 and growth, and at a glance the amateur 

 would find it hard to believe that some 

 of the prostrate or trailing kinds, like the 

 British agrestis, Buxbaumi, hederisfolia 

 &c., belonged to the same genus as the 

 well-known Andersoni and Traversi. 

 Although there are many species, only 

 comparatively few can be regarded as 

 absolutely hardy in the British Islands, 

 except in the mild southern parts. Many 

 of the kinds, notshly Andersoni, ping ui- 

 folia, salicifolia, and Traversi, will 

 stand from 10° to 20° frost without injury 

 in some parts of the country, but in others 

 will suffer severely from only a few 

 degrees, owing no doubt to local condi- 

 tions. x\s many of the kinds described 

 below seed freely in good seasons, and often 

 sow themselves, it would be wise to en- 

 courage the growth of plants obtained in 

 this natural way, as they are far more likely 

 to stand our climate than plants raised from 

 seeds and cuttings in heat or cold frames. 



Culture and Propagation. -Veronicas 

 flourish in ordinary good garden soil, and 

 except in the southern parts are safer 

 planted near warm walls and sheltered 

 spots having a south or west aspect. The 

 shrubby kinds may be increased by 

 cuttings inserted in fine sandy soil in cold 

 frames in late summer and autumn. 

 They require protection in winter, and by 



