The MGS Forum

Plants for mediterranean gardens => Perennials => Topic started by: Daisy on October 10, 2011, 02:03:12 PM

Title: Verbena
Post by: Daisy on October 10, 2011, 02:03:12 PM
I am finding Verbena x hybrida invaluable in my garden.
They are sold here, in the local market or Garden Centers, in various colours and all unlabelled.
They grow all around and through the other plants without (so far) overwhelming them.
They seem to flower most of the time and in profusion.
I was expecting to grow plants like Diascias and Nemesias to fill the spaces between the shrubs and larger perennials, but they don't like it here. Most of them, die a slow death.
However the Verbena x hybrida fill that role with pizazz.
Daisy :)

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/030.jpg)
With Salvia scabra

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/033-2.jpg)
One of the Tapien series, here with Calamintha nepetoides and a stray flower of Achillea millefolium Cerise Queen.

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/046.jpg)
In between an Arctotis x hybrida Flame and a purple sage.

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/021-1.jpg)

Behind Nelumbo nucifera Mrs Perry D. Slocum

Daisy :)

Title: Re: Verbena
Post by: Alisdair on October 10, 2011, 02:06:59 PM
Wow, Daisy, I love your lotus! What a terrific picture!
The verbenas do well in Greece with a little water - very useful plants, tough little things.
I've changed the title of your topic (you had Verbena x hybrida instead), partly to follow our general rule of have genus rather than species names as topic titles, but also in the hope that maybe forum members have something to say about other Verbena species, perhaps V. bipinnatifida or V. rigida. Alberto, they come from your territory - can you recommend other species that might suit mediterranean-climate gardens?
Title: Re: Verbena
Post by: ezeiza on October 10, 2011, 04:20:44 PM
Well, in the trade there is a Verbena with very dissected foliage, supposedly from N. America, under V. tenera. This is very ground hugging, like Dichondra. Seems to be Daisy's second photo.

Our native Verbenas have been known for a number of years as Glandularias. In the past two years or so some striking hybrids have been released. I have seen them in indigo and in pink, but other color exist. Heads are very large, full and flat and the stems root at every node. Extremely vigorous but need beheading. Verbenas and Glandularias need plenty of room to look neat and under our conditions a few plants muts be replanted each winter and the mass of old ones discarded. They grow in carpet fashion and to look tidy and polite they demand space.
They are attacked by red sider mite in midsummer.

I wonder how could I send some rooted plants to England???
Title: Re: Verbena
Post by: hilberry on October 10, 2011, 05:18:55 PM
I have problems with diascias too.  They don't like it hot and dry.  Now it's cooler they are flowering well.
Title: Re: Verbena
Post by: Umbrian on October 11, 2011, 07:50:28 AM
I planted V  rigida two years ago and have been disappointed with it. It has spread well but does not flower well. I have just dug up some pieces to try in different areas of the garden as position often seems to be of prime importance with some subjects. The original plant receives sun until early afternoon in the summer but is in a very dry area competing for moisture with the roots of a nearby Eleagnus umbellata. Since this has not stopped it from spreading very successfully I feel it might need a position where it is exposed to more sun. I remember reading in an article by Heidi in an early MGS journal that often it is a case of finding the right spot for a plant within one's garden that makes the difference between success and failure. Since I have plenty of material to work with I shall spread it around and see what happens.