HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. 



Veronica (Speedwell). — A useful genus in the garden. 

 The majority of the species are shrubby, but the follow- 

 ing are herbaceous, effective plants for the border and 



Fig. 468.— Veronica spicata. 



rockery. They grow well and flower freely in ordinary 

 soil. Propagated by division or seeds. 



V. gentianoides. Blue, 1 to l£ foot. South-east Europe. 

 V. incana. Violet, foliage silvery - gray, 6 inches. South 

 Russia. 



V. longifolia, vars. subsessilis. Deep-blue, 2 feet. Japan. 



V. spicata (fig. 468). Blue, 1 foot. Europe (Britain). 



V. Teucrium, var. dubia. Deep-blue, prostrate. 



V. virginica, var. alba. White, 4 to 5 feet. North America. 



Viola. — Includes many charming plants suitable for 

 rockery or border. Some of the smallest in stature have 

 the largest flowers, and their colours range from white 

 through shades of lilac and blue to violet. There are also 

 several species with yellow flowers. They prefer a rich, 

 loamy soil with plenty of grit and sand. V. pedata, the 

 Bird's Toot Violet, grows in a very gritty, stony medium, 

 and likes plenty of water. Increased by division and 

 seeds. 



V. biflora. Yellow, 3 inches. Europe. 

 V. calcarata. Pale-mauve, 3 inches. Europe. 

 V. cornuta. Pale-violet, 6 inches. Pyrenees. 

 V. cucculata, var. alba. White, 6 inches. North America. 

 V. munbyana. Pale-violet, 6 inches. Spain. 

 V. odorata. White, 3 inches. Europe (Britain). 

 V. pedata. Mauve and purple, 3 inches. North America. 

 ,, var. bicolor. Mauve and deep-violet, 3 inches. North 

 America. 



See also special chapter on Violas and Violets. 



Wahlenbergia. — Related to Campanula, from which 

 it differs only in the manner in which the seed-capsule 

 dehisces. The following are neat rock plants of dwarf 

 habit, with grass-like leaves covered with short hairs. 

 The flowers are lilac-blue and deep-purple. A light soil 

 and a sunny position suit them best. Propagation by 



W. dalmatica. Purple, 3 to 4 inches. Dalmatia. 



W. graminifolia. Violet-purple, 4 inches. Italy. 



W. Pumilio. Violet, silvery foliage, 2 inches. Dalmatia. 



W. serpyllifolia. Deep-purple, 3 inches. Dalmatia. 



W. tenuifolia. Violet, 4 inches. Dalmatia. 



Waldsteinia fragarioides has glossy-green leaves like 

 a strawberry, resembling that plant also in habit. Its 



pretty bright-yellow flowers are borne in May and June. 

 A useful plant for clothing banks which it is desirous to 

 hide, and it succeeds in any garden soil. Propagated by 

 division or seeds. Native of North America. 



Wulfenia. — A small genus of showy plants with 

 lovely blue flowers, allied to Scrophularia. They grow 

 best in a shady position and a light, rich, loamy soil, either 

 in the rockery or border. Propagated by seeds. Both 

 species are rather rare, W. carinthiaca being the older and 

 commoner of the two. 



W. Amherstiana. Blue, 1 foot. Himalaya. 



W. carinthiaca. Purplish-blue, 12 to 18 inches. Cariuthia. 



Xerophyllum asphodeloides (Turkey's Beard). — The 

 leaves of this plant form a spreading grassy tuft, from 

 the centre of which the flower-stems rise from 1 to 4 feet 

 in height, and terminate in a raceme of many white 

 blossoms. It grows best treated as a semi-aquatic. Pro- 

 pagated by seeds and division. Native of North America. 



Zauschneria calif omica (fig. 469) is a handsome late 

 summer-flowering perennial. It grows to a height of 

 about 18 inches, and produces spikes of bright vermilion- 

 coloured tubular drooping flowers after the style of a 

 Fuchsia. Sandy loam suits it best, and slight protection 

 in winter is needed on cold, clayey soils and in exposed 



Fig. 469.— Zauschneria califomica. 



positions. Suitable for rockery or border. Propagation 

 by division in spring. 



Zephyranthes. — A genus of mostly tender bulbous 

 plants, belonging to Amaryllidese. A few of the species 



