64 
BEDDING PLANTS. 
quite hardy, and readily propagated by cuttings. The flowers 
are red. 
Thunbergia alata , buff, aurantiaca , orange, and alata alba , 
white, are very desirable in warm situations. They may be 
treated either as climbers or as trailing plants. Against a wall 
or rambling over rockwork they wear a very appropriate appear¬ 
ance. To cover the margins of baskets and vases, or even to fill 
entire beds, they are equally suited. In the latter position a 
framework of wire or short spreading sticks should he placed to 
support the stems from the ground. If seed is sown in heat 
early in March, and the young plants are encouraged to grow 
freely, there will be no necessity to keep them through the 
winter. 
Torenia. We are led to expect by the statements of several 
correspondents, that the new species of this genus, asiatica and 
concolor, will be found sufficiently hardy through the summer to 
flower in the open air, and may therefore be included in our list 
of bedding plants. They are both very free to grow and flower 
in pots, but require some nursing through the winter; propaga¬ 
tion is effected by cuttings, which do best when taken off in spring, 
and encouraged to grow in a gentle hotbed. They will assume 
a trailing habit when left to themselves, and produce abundance 
of lovely blue and purple blossoms. 
Verbena . The varieties of this popular flower are found in 
every place where gardening is attempted at all. When required 
for planting in masses, it is requisite that the kinds selected 
possess some decided colour, and if more than one is employed, 
as great a distinction as may be possible should be secured in the 
colours, especially if they are brought at all near to each other. 
For entire beds of a moderate size, it is also essential that the 
kinds adopted are remarkable for a compact habit of growth, the 
straggling character of some varieties, imparting an untidy ap¬ 
pearance, nor do these usually bloom so freely as the more dwarf¬ 
growing sorts, or if they do, their flowers are lost among the 
superabundant foliage. Such kinds as Fulgida, Wonder, Boule de 
Feu, Melindres superba, ' Zeuxes scarlets of different shades. 
Avalanche, Princess Royal, white, Parksii, Fxcelsa, Duchess of 
Sutherland, Rose d? Amour, Favorite, rose coloured, and Afro - 
sanguinea, Duke of York, Louis Philippe, deep crimson, together 
