FLOWERS FOR THE HARDY GARDEN 



27 



Monarda ■ Bergamot 



Didyma. If tlic Bergamot or Bee-Balm is not 

 quite so graceful in growth or rich in tint as the 

 cardinal flower, nevertheless, next to that plant, it is 

 the best perennial of its color; — rich glowing scarlet, 

 that blazes out with surprising intensity from a 

 background of dark green. And it lias the advantage 

 over the lobelia of being perfectly hardy, and easily 

 grown in sun or partial shade. The flowers spring 

 thickly from dry, rounded bracts, and are thinly 

 tubular in form with fringed ends and projecting 

 anthers. They are held upright on tall, leafy stems, 

 and last surprisingly long, brightening the garden 

 for many weeks in late July and August. Both flow- 

 ers and leaves give out a pungent and very agreeable 

 odor. The Monarda is one of our native wild 

 flowers, and so of course is well adapted for natural- : 

 izing, and planting among shrubbery and evergreens. 

 Should be divided every three years, as by that time 

 the clumps are apt to grow thin toward the center. 

 I offer the variety Cambridge Scarlet, which is said 

 to be brighter in color than the old Didyma. 1 leight 

 iy<i to 3 ft.; space 18 in. 



Fistulosa. Taller than the above, with soft lav- 

 ender flowers. Splendid for naturalizing in very 

 large masses, and excellent in the border. 



Oenothera • Evening Primrose 



QZnotheras are very beautiful plants, and should 

 be far better known. All are perfectly hardy, and 

 ask for no special attention beyond an abundance 

 of sunlight. The flowers are of good size and unusual 

 delicacy of texture, and though the individual blos- 

 soms last only a short time, they keep up a constant 

 succession of bloom for nearly two months. More- 

 over, they furnish some of the finest shades of pure 

 yellow to be found in the garden. In spite of their 

 name, all the kinds offered below remain open during 

 the day. 



Fruticosa. One of the best of the tall sorts. Of 

 good branching habit, 2 feet tall, with luxuriant 

 leathery leaves and innumerable brilliant yellow, 

 cup-shaped flowers, 1 % inches across, and slightly 

 fragrant. I see no difference between this and the . 

 variety offered as Youngii. June to August. Space 

 1 ft._ ' 



Missouriensis is a semi-trailing plant with rather 

 thin, light green leaves and immense cup-shaped 

 flowers, 4 inches across, of a pure lemon-yellow. 

 The petals are of the most diaphanous texture, and 

 in the center of the blossom are a three-pronged 

 anther and a cluster of stamens with a curious 

 web-like mass of pollen. A most unusual and very 

 lovely flower. A large mass of plants will fairly 

 cover the ground with the blooms, and look delight- 

 ful as an informal edging to borders of taller sub- 

 jects. Planted in the rock-garden, the prostrate 

 stems will hang over the boulders with charming 

 effect. "The English Flower Garden" recommends 

 this variety as one of the finest of hardy plants. 

 June and July. 8 to 12 in.; space 1 ft. 



Speciosa. Of graceful, spreading habit, 18 inches 

 tall. The flowers, slightly larger than those of Fruti- 

 cosa, are a beautiful pure white with a small green 

 center; very fragrant at night. They combine well 

 with almost every flower in the garden, and arc- 

 excellent for cutting. The plants spread so quickly j 

 that a group of two or three soon becomes a large j 

 mass. June and July. Space I ft. 



Oriental Poppies 



Papaver orientale 



Oriental Poppy 



When the hairy, four-lobed calyx of the Poppy 

 bud splits and drops olf, the opening flower is one 

 of the most curious sights of the garden. Each 

 petal has been so creased and folded and 

 packed in its casing so tightly that it seems 

 impossible it will ever open at all, much less 

 become smooth and free from markings. But open 

 it does, and in a few hours there is a gorgeous, bowl- 

 shaped blossom 4 or 5 inches across, with a center 

 of rich purple-black stamens, and a big rounded 

 stigma, with a flat velvety top. Even a small clump 

 of these huge flowers, rising on tall, stiff stems from 

 their luxuriant mass of leafage, is an inspiring sight, 

 while a long border of poppies alone fairly takes 

 one's breath away. No plant is so bold and striking 

 in form and color, and none makes a wider appeal. 

 Many visitors to a nursery will pass by all the more 

 delicate flowers with an indilferent glance, only to 

 become wildly enthusiastic when they encounter the 

 Oriental Poppy. 



The original species of Papaver orientate was of 

 such a glaring shade of brick-red that it clashed with 

 almost every other color. Now, however, there are 

 so many new hybrids in line tones of salmon-pink, 

 light and dark red, and even white, that we have 

 the material for making all sorts of beautiful pic- 

 tures, both in the garden and in the shrubbery border. 

 Some of the salmon-pink varieties combine charm- 

 ingly with irises like Pallida Dalmatica or Mine. 



Unless otherwise noted, all plants in this catalog 15 cts. each, $1.50 per doz., $10 per 100 

 Six plants sold at the dozen rate. All plants listed at 25 cts. each are $2.50 per doz., $15 per 100 



