Thanks for the interesting thread I've been thinking of getting this plant for a while now.
Some of the seed suppliers have said that they need a peroid of cold in a fridge to get them going. Gary- Was this your experience? I'm all for growing from seed, I can wait to see a result, but can't be doing with the faff of having to put them in the fridge before they germinate.
I want to grow them as they attract bees & butterflies.
I started mine in gritty compost in early spring (from seeds ollected the previous autumn) and did little else than watch them grow after leaving the seed trays in a shady corner of the garden. They pop up everywhere once you have them (which I like) and the bees, butterflies and moths absolutely adore them.
Once you have them you can either grow them from the seeds they produce or wait to replant their offspring (or both).
I grow it at the front of a raised bank where the flowers of the usual VB would be way above my head. It's a really good plant; I only planted them this year so no idea if they self-seed true to type but they've grown into lovely bushy plants about 2 - 3ft tall and bloomed and bloomed all summer on a north-east facing bank, even with the weather we've had, and the bees love them of course.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There is a variety called Verbena Rigida that doesn't get as tall as Bonariensis, that one of the DIY chains sells. In every other aspect it is the same as Bonariensis, just not as tall.
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I started mine in gritty compost in early spring (from seeds ollected the previous autumn) and did little else than watch them grow after leaving the seed trays in a shady corner of the garden. They pop up everywhere once you have them (which I like) and the bees, butterflies and moths absolutely adore them.
Once you have them you can either grow them from the seeds they produce or wait to replant their offspring (or both).
Just thought I'd mention that there is a lower growing version of VB http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/verbena-bonariensis-lollipop/itemno.PL30002914/
I grow it at the front of a raised bank where the flowers of the usual VB would be way above my head. It's a really good plant; I only planted them this year so no idea if they self-seed true to type but they've grown into lovely bushy plants about 2 - 3ft tall and bloomed and bloomed all summer on a north-east facing bank, even with the weather we've had, and the bees love them of course.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There is a variety called Verbena Rigida that doesn't get as tall as Bonariensis, that one of the DIY chains sells. In every other aspect it is the same as Bonariensis, just not as tall.