Tips on growing Verbena

Avid gardeners will already be aware of the Verbena rigida and its gorgeous summer flowers, but a few tips on how to get the best out them this year have been provided by a sector commentator.

Val Bourne notes in an article for the Telegraph that the deep lilac-purple flowers grow best from spring-sown seeds and prefer soil with good drainage.

After flowering has finished, leave the head and seeds intact and this will provide extra defence through the harsh winter months.

Cut the plants down in mid-spring the following year and they should re-shoot, she suggests.

The first year of planting gardeners may notice that the plant does not flower until September, however, in later years many months of bloom will be evident.

According to the BBC, Verbena rigida has a tall, narrow stem and flowers of bright lavender and purple. The plant will self-seed if left to its own devices and new flowers will be stronger and more drought tolerant than the parent.