Retail price list of California bulbs / Carl Purdy

              Purdy's  California Flowering Plants 11
MICHAELMAS DAISIES are among the very best hardy plants known and for
fine masses of soft coloring in the garden they have no superior. In planting hardy
borders they should never be omitted, for they have the merit of making soft masses
of any desired height from 2 to 7 feet. The foliage is a soft, pleasing shade of green and
makes an excellent filler and foil for other groups. Most superb groups can be planned
with Michaelmas Daisies alone.
The varieties do not all flower at the same time and, if after a plant flowers and
before seeds can form it is cut close to the ground, it will flower a second time. Indeed
one customer of mine had three crops last year from one plant..
Again, if in a massing of these alone, a portion are cut down after they are well up,
say in May, the bloom will be retarded enough so they will supplement the first-flowering
lots most beautifully.
Michaelmas Daisies are here to stay and will be more and more appreciated. They
are fine cut-flowers if cut when it is cool. Even if the flowers wilt which are on them
when cut, they will bloom in water and be beautiful for days, if not weeks.
Their culture is most easy. They will do fairly in any garden soil with moderate
watering and either in full sun or very light shade. The very best results will be had
in a rich, well-worked soil of any class with rather abundant watering. Plant 15 to 18
inches apart each way in strong groups of not less than six 'of a sort. If hoed, they will
do better. Plant from October to April. Reset not later than the second year. In resetting use only the outer vigorous shoots and, if single shoots are used and they are
set about a foot apart each way each winter, the very finest obtainable results will be
had. Summer mulching is an advantage and can be had of old leaves, sawdust, well-
rotted manure, or grass cuttings; but manure is preferable.
I bought my set from the leading English specialist and supplement with the
best new sorts. They are divided into very distinct groups, the result of crossing natural
species.
Aster cordifolius is the most dainty in mass of any. It has a tuft of heart-shaped
leaves at the ground and slender, very graceful branches full of beautiful small flowers.
Ideal grows to 3 feet and has exquisite pale lavender flowers in dainty sprays.
25 cts. each.
Magnificus is 3^ to 4 feet high, stout, and much branched, and has soft blue-
lavender flowers.   15 cts. each, $1.25 .per doz.
Shortii is closely allied with these. Neat erect habit and stems 3 to 4 feet high, full
of fine, clear blue flowers.   15 cts. each, $1.25 per doz.
Aster ericoides owes its name to a resemblance of the wonderfully full-flowering
plants to a Heath or Erica. It makes compact little bushes smothered with little starry
flowers and is a most excellent filler in a large border. Sensation is about 2 feet high, with
tiny, starry, white.flowers.  Virgil is like it, with a red center.
Aster Novae-Angliae is a race of tall, stiff-stemmed Asters with rough, hairy, lanceolate leaves all along the stems. They grow 4 or 5 feet high and in late summer are
densely massed with rather large flowers. Novae-Angliae type is a rosy magenta; Novae-
Anglias rosea is rosy; Novae-Angliae, var. Hearst is a rich deep purple, one of the finest
purples in my garden; Novae-Anglias, William Bowman, is a striking sort, with flowers
of a peculiar shade of purple, more nearly blue.
Aster Novi-Belgii have smooth, dark green foliage, pleasing in the mass. The stout
but slender stems are much branched and bear great masses of flowers of fine form.
The varieties give every color from white to pinks, blues, and purples, and are of all
heights from 3 to 7 feet. ■ Their flowering season is as varied and they flower much
earlier in California than in the East.
Erigeron grows to 4 feet, with reddish foliage and small blue flowers scattered all
over the branching plant.
Beatrice is 4 to 5 feet high, with snowy white flowers.
Climax has large violet flowers fully 2 inches across. It is the largest-flowered sort
yet introduced.   3 to 4 ft., 25 cts. each.
Effie, 3 to 4 feet, makes a fine mass of azure-blue.
Elsie Perry, 3 feet, has glistening pink flowers and is one of the best pinks.
Fairfield, 5 feet, has white flowers with slender petals.
John Wood is strong and branches 3 to 4 feet with rather large, clear blue flowers.
Mrs. Davis Evans is a bold, azure-blue variety, 5 feet high.
Mrs. Purdy makes a very compact, low bush with deep blue-purple flowers.   2 to 3 ft.
St. Egwin, 2 to 3 feet, is one of the best soft pinks and is densely flowered.
St. Brigid, 4 feet, has soft rose flowers on long arching stems.
Purity, 5 feet, is one of the best whites.
Saturn has dense heads of lavender flowers.
Top Sawyer, 3 to 4 feet, has large, light blue flowers.