7 
Hardy Perennial Plants 
E VERY garden must depend to a large extent upon Hardy Perennial Plants for its continued beauty and charm. 
Beginning with the first crack of spring, these good old standbys continue in bewildering succession to display 
ever-changing aspects of floral beauty. Best of all, these plants are permanent, and, when once properly planted, 
remain year alter year, increasing in size and vigor. Thus they confer upon the garden an atmosphere of permanence 
and tranquility which is necessary to the fulfillment of its purpose. 
We recommend all of the Hardy Perennial Plants offered in this section for embellishing your garden beds and 
borders. We have selected these varieties from a much longer list as the best representatives of their respective classes. 
Among them will be found an extended group of dwarf and creeping plants particularly adapted to rock-garden 
use, representing the result of long-continued special study and selection. Such plants are indicated in this list by 
the letter R. 
The generous, big lield-clumps which I send out should furnish abundant blooms the first year, fulfilling their 
purpose in realizing the color schemes already planned and anxiously awaited. 
Arranging and Planting Hardy Flower Borders 
Preparing the Ground. The ground for a Perennial bed should be spaded at least 8 to 10 inches deep, and twice that if the 
ground is at all poor. The best practice is to remove the top 8 inches of the ground entirely and spade into the bottom of the bed 
a liberal quantity of well-rotted manure or fertilizer, returning the top-soil after breaking it up very fine and mixing with a small 
amount of some effective artificial fertilizer. This work should be done several weeks in advance of planting the bed. 
Planting. A gardener’s trowel is the most practical tool for setting out plants of ordinary size. Before beginning it is well to lay 
the plants on the ground in the bed as they are indicated in the sketch or diagram, and then plant them as quickly as possible to 
prevent the roots from drying out. Always set plants just a little deeper than the old soil-line, and make the roots very firm in the 
ground. Loose planting is the cause of a great deal of loss. 
Arrangement. In planting such borders, always give careful consideration to the height of the plants as indicated all through 
this Catalogue. Tall plants should be kept to the back of the border, those of medium height in the middle, while dwarf or smaller 
plants should be kept in the front. This should be varied a little, so that in some places tall plants come in the front of the border, 
partially concealing some lower plants beyond them. This device is especially effective in straight borders, adding a little air of 
mystery and surprise, such as is accomplished naturally in curved borders. The color of the flower is important, and the time of 
year in which they bloom is even more so An effort should be made to have a few flowers in bloom throughout the border all season 
Winter Care. A light cover of dry litter, such as grass-clippings, leaves, or strawy manure is very beneficial after the first frost 
has nipped things down in late autumn. If manure is used, it may be raked in the ground in the spring, adding a very desirable 
element of fertility. 
VARIETIES MARKED R ARE SUITABLE FOR THE ROCK-GARDEN 
ACHILLEA (Milfoil) Ptarmica, The Pearl. Indispensable in 
every border, both for grace and usefulness for indoor deco¬ 
ration. The small, clustered flowers are pure white and 
literally smother the foliage by their profusion. 2 feet. June 
to September. 35 cts. each; $3.50 per doz. 
A., Perry’s White. A choice variety for cutting and an excel¬ 
lent filler. The flowers are the whitest of all Achilleas, and 
an outstanding favorite with florists for summer flowers. 
1 to 2 feet. June to August. 25 cts. each; $2.50 per doz. 
ACONITUM (Monkshood) Fischeri. A very attractive, erect, 
hardy plant, with odd blue and white flowers in autumn. 
Not unlike the delphiniums in general effect, but not nearly 
so large or so tall. Particularly good in shady borders. 
40 cts. each; $4 per doz. 
A. napellus bicolor. This is one of the tallest and finest of the 
Aconites, and a fine subject to group among the rear plants 
in the border. Grows 4 feet high with huge spikes of blue 
and white flowers from June to August. 40 cts. each; 
$4 per doz. 
A. napellus, Sparks’ Variety. A tall variety with branching 
spikes of blue flowers. The darkest Aconitum, and has a 
long flowering period. 5 to 6 feet. July, August. 40 cts. 
each; $4 per doz. 
ALLWOODI. Everblooming Hardy Pinks. This new race of 
the Dianthus family flowers perpetually during spring, 
summer, and autumn. No plant is hardier or of easier culti¬ 
vation, and its free-flowering qualities have rendered it 
exceedingly popular. The flowers range through many 
shades of light, medium and dark pink and crimson, and all 
are deliciously fragrant. Mixed, 35 cts. each; $3.50 per doz. 
R ALYSSUM saxatile compactum. Splendid tufted plant a foot 
or more high, covered with a mass of golden yellow flowers. 
30 cts. each; $3 per doz. 
R A. spinulosum roseum. A rare plant with handsome silvery 
gray foliage. This neat, small-leaved species remains longer 
in beauty than any of the others. 50 cts. each; $5 per doz. 
WILLIAM C. DUCKHAM CO., MADISON, N. J. 
ANCHUSA italica, Dropmore Variety, a large, spreading, 
bushy plant, requiring plenty of room to develop its great 
beauty. This variety is a great improvement on the old 
type and extremely vigorous. Its flowers are deepest blue, 
borne in immense sprays. 4 to 5 feet. May to July. 30 cts. 
each; 65 cts. for 3. 
A. myosotidiflora. Surpassingly fine ground-cover plant with 
large, broad leaves topped by graceful panicles of bright 
blue flowers resembling forget-me-nots. Excellent in shady 
places. April, May. 50 cts. each; $5 per doz. 
ANTHEMIS tinctoria. Hardy Marguerite. Deep golden yel¬ 
low, daisy-like flowers, ideal for decorative purposes. lLz 
to 2 feet. June to September. 35 cts. each; $3 per doz. 
ANEMONE hupehensis. Early Anemone. Sturdy, dwarf 
Anemone, IE 2 to 2 feet high, and resembling the Japanese 
Anemone in many respects, but blooms earlier, is not so tall, 
and much more richly colored. It is a fine plant for very 
large rock-gardens and comes into bloom in early August, 
continuing until frost. It will succeed in half-shady places. 
We recommend it especially for perennial borders and for 
cut-flowers. 50 cts. each; $5 per doz. 
A. japonica alba. Single, pure white flowers, showing yellow 
anthers, from late September on. 
A. japonica, Queen Charlotte. Large, semi-double, bright 
pink flowers, broad and perfectly formed, abundantly pro¬ 
duced in September. Fine for cutting. 
A. japonica rosea superba. Large, single, light silvery pink 
flowers in late September. 
A. japonica, Whirlwind. Semi-double, large, snowy white 
flowers profusely produced from late September on. 
A., September Charm. Delicate silvery pink flowers shaded 
with rose and mauve, coming into full bloom by September 
20. 50 cts. each; $5 per doz. 
All Anemones, 35 cts. each; $3.50 per doz., except where noted 
