An excellent late season perennial for the cut flower garden in a wide range of pink, white, lilac and purple shades. The butterflies love these flowers in the late autumn sunshine.
Hardy Perennial
Latin name: We mainly grow Aster novi–belgii, Aster novae–angliae, Aster pringlei an Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’
Origin: Mainly North America
Family: Asteraceae
Height: Wide variety from small clump forming varieties up to 4-5 feet. Tall varieties definitely need staking in our windy conditions.
Position: We grow these in a sunny open position as part of a mixed perennial and annual border.
Cut flower: Yes. We use these widely in our September and October bouquets and also use Aster ‘Monch’ which flowers earlier in the year but also continues right into autumn. All stand well after conditioning if picked young before the bees get to them.
Conditioning: Standard conditioning in cool clear water for at least 2 hours.
Suppliers: At this time of year one of the best places to see a wide range of Asters is the Picton Garden and Old Court Nurseries near Malvern. They hold the NCCPG national collection of autumn flowering asters and it is a stunning show at the right time of year.
Their website www.autumnasters.co.uk provides a wide range of background information to help you choose and grow these lovely plants.
We are out in the garden ... 
2 thoughts on “Michaelmas daisies in the autumn sunshine”