This is the month of the Michaelmas Daisy, or Aster or Symphyotrichum or whatever name has been decided upon this year. I mean who is going to remember Symphywhotsit! The feast day of St Michael the Archangel on the 29th September coincides with the peak flowering season of autumn flowering Asters. Which is how they come by their common name, Michaelmas Daisy.
There’s a colour to suit every garden – they come in shades of white, blue, purple and pink and they can flower for weeks beginning late summer and into autumn.
They look great in cottage gardens but also work in more contemporary schemes – they associate well with ornamental grasses. They’re extremely popular with bees and butterflies, too.
Some are compact and clump-forming and suited to the front of a border or a container, others are taller statuesque specimens reaching 2 metres and look best at the back of a border where they can waft over the other plants.
One of the best places to see these plants is in Worcestershire, close to the beautiful Malvern Hills. The Picton Garden is a plantsman’s garden that holds the National Plant Collection of more than 400 varieties of Michaelmas Daisies creating a jewel-like tapestry from mid-September. I published a post about this beautiful garden in 2014 so please click on the link and head over there for a visual treat.
Don’t they know what I’m like with names!!! 400 varieties is amazing, off to treat myself ☺️
Lovely colours!
I wish I had room for more of these pretty flowers, mine are still in a pot and well due to be removed, there can’t be much soil left!
Oh dear!
We need some of these. 🙂
They are lovely to have at this time of the year.
Mother grew purple asters in her flower beds and often said it was her favorite flower. I thought that was because they bloomed in August, her birth month, but of course they continued right on until September gave way to October.
There are many different types and all are so beautiful, but I am slightly biased as I love daisy-like flowers!
I doubt I can say the new name, never mind spell it, so they’ll just stay as asters for me – I love having them in my garden. 🙂
I used grow these in my garden but they kind of vanished over the years, where to I do not know. I do really like them and should replant. Lovely photos Jude!
Mine are still crammed into a pot which I must remedy this year as there can’t be much soil left and I am sure they’d prefer to be in the ground.
One of my favourite garden flowers! Mine are just starting to come into bud and I’m looking forward to seeing their cheerful colours right through summer.