Ribsam’s Manual 
j 36 > 
Martin C. Ribsam & Sons Co 
HARDY PERENNIAL PLANTS— Continued 
DIANTHUS ( Hardy Pinks ) 
barbatus ( Sweet-william). An old-fashioned favorite espe¬ 
cially for edging borders. We offer pink beauty, dark crim¬ 
son, white and mixed. 
*caryophyllus (Hardy Carnations). Handsome double sweet- 
scented flowers in separate colors of red, white, yellow 
and pink. 
DI CENTRA ( Bleedingheart) 
*formosa. A dwarf variety suitable for borders or rock 
gardening. Grows about 8 in. high and blooms profusely; 
rich, rose shaded lyre-shaped flowers with most attractive 
fernlike foliage. Semi-shade. 
DIGITALIS ( Foxglove) 
Shirley Strain. Truly handsome spikes from 3 to 4 ft. high. 
Large, bell-shaped flowers closely crowded on the stalks. 
These are the aristocrats of the garden. Mixed colors of 
pinks, whites and purples with spotted throats. A biennial 
which self sows. 
GAILLARDIA ( Blanketflower ) 
grandiflora. Handsome, Daisylike flowers of great variation 
in shades of red and yellow. Grows 2 ft. high and blooms 
all Summer if kept cut. 
GEUM ( Avens) 
*Mrs. Bradshaw. Very showy rosettes of orange scarlet 
flowers on slender stems. Leaves rather coarse and fairly 
close to the ground. May and June. 
GYPSOPHILA ( Babysbreath) 
Paniculata. This is the favorite old-fashioned variety hav¬ 
ing tiny single white flowers of great grace and symmetry. 
Grows 2 to 3 ft. high and blooms in July and August. 
Most useful in forming bouquets with other flowers. May 
also be dried. 
♦repens. A rockgarden variety, being a splendid creeper. 
In July and August it is covered with masses of tiny white 
flowers. 
HELIOPSIS {Hardy Zinnia) 
scabra. This is a very good yellow Daisy sort of flower. Blooms 
throughout the Summer. 3 to 4 ft. high. Fine for cutting. 
HEUCHERA (Coralbells or Alumroot) 
♦brizoides. Beautiful plants for front of borders with slen¬ 
der, fairylike spikes of richly colored flowers. June to July. 
IBERIS ( Candytuft) 
'sempervirens. Dwarf plants about 8 in. high with ever¬ 
green foliage which is completely hidden by dense heads 
of pure white flowers in the Spring. 
LIATRIS {Gayfeather) 
pycnostachya. Rich purple flowers on a tall spike 3 to 4 ft. 
high are oddly conspicuous. Midsummer bloomer and lasts 
well. 
MERTENSIA {Bluebells) 
*virginica (Virginia Cowslip). One of the most beautiful of 
the early Spring bloomers. Large, glaucous gray leaves 
and bears drooping clusters of clear blue flowers that fade 
to pink. 12 to 18 in. high. May. 
MONARDA {Beebalm or Bergamot) 
Showy plants, 3 to 4 ft. high and succeeding in any soil; 
has aromatic foliage and red flowers. July-August. 
MYOSOTIS ( Forget-me-not) 
♦alpestris. The well known Forget-me-not in shades of blue- 
pink and also white. May and June and a scattering of 
bloom throughout the season. 
NEPETA {Italian Catmint) 
♦mussini. An excellent plant for any position but especially 
useful in rock gardening. Flowers are light violet blue in 
color and are formed in dense tufts. Blooms more or less 
throughout the season; beautiful, gray green foliage. 
OENOTHERA {Evening-primrose) 
youngi. A pretty, clear lemon yellow-colored flower growing 
2 ft. high. 
PAPAVER {Poppy) 
*nudicaule (Iceland Poppy). Dwarf, free flowering plants, 
bearing solitary blossoms on stems about 12 in. high. Good 
for cutting. Yellow, rich orange, also white. May-August. 
Oriental. Large orange scarlet flowers, 2 to 3 ft. high. 
Handsome, fernlike foliage in the early Spring which dies 
down when the plant is through blooming. 
PENTSTEMON {Beardtongue) 
Hybrids. Graceful, tapering stems covered with large, tubu¬ 
lar white and scarlet flowers with mottled throats. 2 to 
4 ft. high. 
PHLOX, HARDY GARDEN 
A good collection of Named Varieties. 
PHYSOSTEGIA {False-dragonhead) 
virginica. Long, slender spikes closely covered with pale 
pink, tubular flowers. 3 ft. high. July and August. 
PLUMBAGO {Leadwort) 
*larpentae. One of the most desirable border and rock 
plants. Of dwarf spreading habit, growing 6 to 8 in. high; 
covered with deep blue flowers during Summer and Fali 
months. 
PRIMULA {Primrose or Cowslip) 
♦veris. English Cowslip of mixed colors, mostly reds and 
yellows with shadings to pink. 8 to 10 in. May and June. 
PYRETHRUM {Painted Daisy) 
roseum. A beautiful. Daisylike flower shading from white 
and palest pink to richest rose and even red. 3 ft. high. 
May and June. Splendid for cutting. 
SCABIOSA {Pincushion Flower) 
japonica. Lavender-blue flowers on long stems from July 
to September. Splendid for cutting. 
*SEDUM {Live Forever) 
We have a great many varieties of Sedum as listed below. 
They are all splendid ground covers for sunny, dry situa¬ 
tions and make pleasing contrasts in foliage as they have 
varying colors. 
♦acre. Sometimes called Love-in-tangle or Golden Moss. 
One of the best for planting between the stones of a walk. 
Yellow blooms appear along the stems in June. 
♦alba. Glossy green with misty white bloom, 6 in. high in 
July. 
♦cruentum. Flat leaves close to the ground. Has a flat 
head of pale pink flowers in the Summer. Foliage turns 
red in the Winter. 
♦pinus. Something like the diminutive Pine trees; it is a 
gray green and very handsome, yellow flowers, 
♦sarmentosa. A splendid ground cover with a slightly 
yellow cast. Spreads everywhere. 
Kamtschaticum. This is more upright than the others and 
the leaves coarser. 6-8 in. high. Large, showy heads of 
yellow flowers in July. 
♦spectabilis. This is the tallest of the Sedums, 18 in. high, 
with very showy heads of rose pink flowers in September. 
SEMPERVIVUM {Houseleek) {Hen-and-chickens) 
These are evergreen succulents forming interesting rosette¬ 
like masses. Thrive in dry and sunny locations, 
♦arachnoideum. Cobwebby. 
♦globiferum. Round and compact. 
♦tectorum. Coarser and larger. 
SHASTA DAISY 
The large, showy white Daisy. Fine for cutting. 
STAT ICE {Sea-lavender) 
latifolia. Branching flower stems, 1ft. high, bearing 
countless small, blue purple flowers that retain their color 
after being cut and dried. 
STOKESIA {Cornflower Aster) 
♦cyanea. Large blue flowers, about a foot high. Leaves 
close to the ground, thick and shiny. June to October. 
TRITOMA {Red Hot Poker) 
Hybrida. Very odd flowers of an orange scarlet shade grow¬ 
ing on spikes about 3 ft. high. Throughout the Summer. 
VALERIANA {Garden Heliotrope) 
officinalis. This is the old-fashioned, fragrant heliotrope 
having large heads of gray white flowers in July-August. 
VERONICA {Speedwell) 
♦amethystina. A splendid ground cover that thrives in 
dry places. Flowers borne on small spikes about 8-10 in. 
high. Blue in color. July-August, 
spicata. This is a taller variety, 12 to 18 in. high. Long 
spikes of violet-blue flowers in June and July, also later 
if cut. 
VIOLA {Tufted Pansy) 
♦Jersey Gem. Showy royal purple, violetlike flowers an 
inch or more across. Dwarf habit and blooms continuously. 
Cutting helps. 
