Highly recommended - verbena b

[Palustris]

The camera is a Fugi 5600. The shots were taken on Auto with Macro on and the Fast shoot facility for the second one of the moth thing. I actually took 56 shots to get three good ones.

[nick the grief]

......I actully took 56 shots to get three good ones.

Your not supposed to tell that you took all those foto's Palustris then people are in awe of your expertise

As to Verbena Bonariensis mine makes it thru the winter OK, I don't cut it down for two reasons
1) it looks good with frost on it in winter
2) the birds seem to love the seed heads
3 I'm an idle git

Ahh.... make that tree reasons.

Also mine has seeded itself all over the border & in the gravel as well although you can take cuttings I believe - never needed to try. As to growing from seed I just sowed it in MP compost & kept is in the greenhouse frost free & then pricked it out into cells till they were big enough to be potted on.

[JennieAtkinson]

Nick - I take it you did an autumn sowing? perhaps that is where I went wrong. My spring sowing didn't take off until September!

Palustris - wonderful photos!

[nick the grief]

To be honest Jennie, I can't remember it was 2 or 3 years ago & it's going strong still. I have the benefit of a heated bench in the greenhouse so it waas probably done around Christmas the same time as my Onions.

[Palustris]

We have never bothered sowing Verbena seed. They self seed all over the place, especially in the gravel paths. So, all I ever do is weed them out of where I do not want them. As for cutting down, no point really. The big ones rarely survive our winters any way, only the babies.

[FoxHillGardener]

Mine has only self-seeded itself between the slabs on the top of the front wall. It's made it though several winters and I've tried cutting in spring when it starts to shoot, but haven't tried to overwintered any.

Red valerian is also good for insects. That's where I saw a humming bird hawk moth last year - no photos though!

[plot 11 pam]

humming bird hawkmoth

dear all,
I too sat tranfixed the other day when a h.h.m. came to feed.
I grabbed the camera and the movement frightened it a bit, but it soon came back.What a delight.

[JennieAtkinson]

Love your signature quote Plot 11.

[Composta]

I find Verbena B. self seeds all over - I did up the plantlets and give them to friends or charity Plant sales.

Last year I bought a scabious - have lost the plant label - it's not the big purple flowers that you see in florists but is a tallish and straggly perennial with many small purple scabious flowers. I've deadheaded it regularly.The bees and other insects love it - altho I haven't seen any butterflies.

Cheers, Composta

[minka1974]

I am gutted to find out that you all have such success with verbena b! (although pleased for you!!)

I have been trying to grow it for ages but no luck at all Will try seeds in the winter in my utility room which stays fairly warm and see if that does better than the summer sewing which did nothing

[jlottie]

I was told that I was trying too hard after I had tried to grow from seed for many years. In the end I gave up and just threw the seeds around my garden (late spring) and would you believe it they came up everywhere where I didn't want them. When I see any that have self seeded they get dug up and put in clumps at the back of the borders. I have just cut them back as they were looking a bit straggly. You could always buy a couple from the GC and hopefully they will self seed themselves for you.

[green ghirl]

The camera is a Fugi 5600. The shots were taken on Auto with Macro on and the Fast shoot facility for the second one of the moth thing. I actually took 56 shots to get three good ones.

cool i just got one bout three weeks ago early chrissy prezzie
cannae wait till the summer now altought my pics will probably have wings cut off heads missings

nice pictures palustris