Add a blast of colour to borders and containers, and keep the pollinators happy
Asters are a classic cottage garden plant that bring the garden to life in late summer, adding a blast of colour to pots and borders. They’re also a key source of nectar and pollen for insects.
There are three main types of aster – Symphyotrichum novi-belgii (New York asters), which tend to be prone to mildew, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England asters) and European asters such as Aster amellus. To add to the profusion of names, several years ago asters were regrouped into different categories and renamed. Some of the best are now known as ‘symphyotrichum’, but whatever you call them, they’re well worth growing.
For best results with your asters, grow them alongside grasses, such as molinia and miscanthus, which will help to hide their scruffy lower stems, sedums, or elegant white-flowered Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’.
Most asters thrive in full sun, in any moist but well-drained soil. Trim them back straight after flowering to help keep them looking neat.
S. NOVAE-ANGLIAE ‘QUINTON MENZIES’
Tall stemmed with bright pink blooms. H: 1.5m, S: 80cm.
ASTER AMELLUS ‘VEILCHENKÖNIGIN’
Compact upright purple-flowered aster. H&S: 40cm.a
ASTER FRIKARTII ‘MÖNCH’
Long-flowering with slender lilac-blue petals. H: 90cm, S: 40cm.
S. NOVAE-ANGLIAE ‘SEPTEMBERRUBIN’
Deep pink with large yellow centres. H& S: 1.2m.
S. ‘LITTLE CARLOW’
Bushy perennial with clouds of striking violet-blue flowers. H: 90cm, S: 45cm.
EURYBIA DIVARICATA
Known as the white wood aster, this is happy in dry shade. H&S: 60cm.
Gather seasonal seedheads to display
Pretty seedheads such as alliums, eryngiums, teasels, fennel and honesty can make fabulous indoor decorations, but you need to pick them before they get damaged by autumn weather. Cut them on a dry day and try to pick those with a long stem. Gather bunches together and tie with twine, then hang somewhere dry for a week.
You can arrange them into vases or store in old shoe boxes to keep them dust-free until you want to use them. They make great additions to table decorations and look good sprayed with silver or gold paint.
REVIVE YOUR LAWN IN 5 STEPS!
Give lawns a pick-me-up to get them in peak condition before winter, but wait until rain before tackling these jobs if it’s been dry.
● Remove thatch Clear away dead moss, grass and other plant debris with a spring-tined rake to let in light and improve air circulation an
