THE VERBENA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 21, 23 November 1910, Page 42

THE VERBENA.

The absence of these unarming, "'Ufashioned flowers from the flower garden is much to be regretted, for there

is hardly another flower in the list of betiding plants that accommodates itself to so many styles of planting. They have been vastly improved during the past few years, and there is nothing that presents a lovelier display of colour if planted in beds and kept closely pegged, or it will form interesting clumps in herbaceous borders if allowed to ramble at will. The verbena can also be associated in its different shades of colour with many other summer plants, and when running amongst these and intermingling with other flowers and foliage it is invariably beautiful. Another point about verbenas which makes them of so much value is the long period over which they bloom. A good, rich, sandy soil is admirably adapted for these plants, and it is simply courting disappointment to plant them out in poor beds or borders, for tn? plants will only bloom for a very short time and the flowers will be small. The verbena may be raised annually from seed sown early in the spring, thus getting over the difficulty, where only a small space is at command, of having to keep rooted cuttings during the winter. The seeds should be sown thinly in clean square pans or boxes filled to within half-inch with good loam, leaf

mould, find sand in equal parts; make level and firm before sowing, then cover lightly with fine soil. Place the seed pans in a warm frame or house, cover them with glass or brown paper; do not water more than is requisite until the seedlings are up. In due course the seedlings require pricking off into boxes after the style of rooted cuttings. If the weather is at all dry at planting time a good watering now and again will be highly beneficial and tend greatly to the rapid growth of the plants. One of the finest of the named varieties is Miss Wilmott, with flowers of rich pink, and well deserves its place in every garden. F. A. Bevan is lighter in tint, and is a strong grower. Crimson King is of a fine bright crimson colour; Princess of Wales is a good purple, of a dwarf and creeping fiabit; Queen of Whites is a fine pure white; Adonis is another good white, with a fine big truss of bloom; Allemania is another good pink, free dowering variety; Nancy is a scarlet with a white eye; Regent is a rosy pink with a white eye; Lovely Blue is a scented, light blue variety; Foxhunter is a good, free flowering scarlet; and King of Scarlets is another good glowing scarlet; while ' h e old purple Venosa is invaluable, biOomin'g as it does quite late in the season.