HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



53 



BLUE BEAUTY. 



(Centrosema Virginianum) . 



PLATYCODON MARIESI 



The finest hardy- 

 herbaceous peren- 

 nial vine of recent 

 introduction, sur- 

 passing even in its 

 wealth of bloom 

 and beauty the finest varieties of the superbly 

 grand hybrid Clematis. It forms a mass of 

 graceful, light green foliage, six to eight feet 

 high, which, throughout July and August, is 

 covered with Sweet Pea-like blossoms one 

 and a half to tAvo and a half inches in diame- 

 ter. The color is a lovely shade of lilac-blue 

 with feathery markings of a deeper shade 

 and a dash of pure, clear white in the centre 

 of each flower. Occasionally pure white 

 flowers appear, while others are broadly 

 margined with a showy, white band. The 

 under surface of the petals being pure white 

 (thus causing the large, unopened buds to ap- 

 pear white also), the plant presents the ap- 

 pearance of producing flowers of varied col- 

 ors upon the same stem; which is exceedingly 

 interesting and pleasing. Like the Sweet 

 Pea its fragrance is delicate, but it differs in 

 that the flowers hang with the large petal down instead of erect. The plant is per- 

 fectly hardy and is well adapted to general culture. 

 Ea., 20c; 3 for 50c; doz., $1.50. Seed, pkt., 15c; 3 pkts., 40c. 



SEA LAVENDER. 



iStatice latifolia). 



The Platycodon grandiflorum, with its large, beau- 

 tiful, deep blue bell-like flowers has always been an in- 

 teresting and much admired hardy perennial; bloom- 

 ing as it does with such great profusion for so long a 

 season. The objection to it has been its tall and sprawl- 

 ing habit. In this variety we have all the beauty of 

 flower and profusion of bloom of the species united 

 with a plant of elegant, very dwarf habit, attaining a 

 height of but six to twelve inches. The star-shaped 

 flowers are two inches in diameter and of the most in- 

 tense pure dark blue. A grand flower in every way. 

 Ea., 20c; 3 for 50c; doz., $1.50. 



A most valuable species, having broad, smooth, beau- 

 tiful foliage and producing an immense head of delicate 

 lilac flowers, so small and numerous as to resemble 

 mist or spray of the sea. The flowers remain in perfec- 

 tion for a long time upon the plant, and when gathered 

 and dried form an everlasting bouquet — the little flow- 

 ers retaining their form and color perfectly. It is so 

 exquisitely beautiful, so hardy and so reliable it should 

 be in every collection. Ea., 20c; 3 for 50c; doz., $1.75. 



SPECIAL. For only $2.00 we will send 

 one each of the thirteen varieties of 

 special merit; for $5.00 we will send 

 three of each by mail. 



