

#1 – Native Plants
Here are a few native plants from this group: Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, gaillardia, California poppy, verbena, and columbine.

Verbena Vick’s Illustrated Monthly, 1880
#2 – English Garden
Some of those varieties from the English garden include nasturtium, the rose, pansy, anemone, and morning glory. Each of these had been in the English garden for decades, if not centuries. Planting one of this group will give a sense of tradition to your own garden.

Rose Vick’s Illustrated Monthly, 1882
#3 – Exotic Plants
“Exotics” for the Victorian garden included petunia, marigold, portulaca, sweet pea, China aster, and geranium. Many of these have evolved to be some of the most popular annuals for today’s gardens.

Sweet Pea Vick’s Illustrated Monthly, 1882
#4 – New Hybrids
Some of the popular hybrid varieties of the late nineteenth century include the chrysanthemum, carnation, zinnia, daylily, and coleus. Today each of these in the form of newer hybrids offers dozens of varieties available to any gardener. No surprise that they became major sellers to the late nineteenth century Victorian gardener.

Coleus Vick’s Illustrated Monthly, 1880
When you are thinking of a plant choice for your flower garden, why not take the advice Vick gave to Victorian gardeners and look to one of these four sources for that special plant?
Written By: Thomas Mickey
Author of All about Flowers: James Vick’s Nineteenth-Century Seed Company (Ohio University Press)
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”