Susie’s Garden
Susie takes a moment to appreciate the striking beauty of asters, the undisputed star of the autumn garden
Asters are true stars of the autumn garden. Their name comes from the ancient Greek meaning “star” because of the shape of the flowers with their radiating petals. They got their common name of Michaelmas daisy because they bloom at this time of the year and Michaelmas Day falls on September 29.
They will grow in sun or part shade, in any reasonably fertile soil, often managing to grow in poor conditions. Perhaps it’s because of this versatility that asters were often grown in cottage gardens. Perhaps also because they are tough, long-living and easy to propagate. There are many hundreds of different types and their flowers range from white through soft blues to rich pinks and purples. Asters last well in water and they are grown for the cut flower industry worldwide. I often pick them for the windowsill. There was a particularly pretty plant which had grown for decades in Chesters Walled Garden, the Northumberland garden that I ran for 23 years. With dark stems and bright little starry flowers, I sent some to the National Collection of Asters for trialling. Discovering it to be unique, I was asked to name it and I chose “Star of Chesters” to commemorate the garden.
Because of their open flower structure and mass of nectar and pollen, asters attract lots of insects. I remember as a child peering up at the tall purple Michaelmas daisies that were covered in Red Admiral and peacock butterflies.
At the end of the season cut the plants down and chop them up for the compost heap. With their tough stems, they can take quite a long time to compost and this helps to speed it up a bit.
Of the many varieties on sale, aster frikartii “Monch” is a top border plant. It has a longer flowering season and is resistant to the powdery mildew that asters can sometimes get. You can even grow some of the shorter varieties in containers; “Purple Dome” only grows to 45cm. So why not bring a touch of glamour to your garden with these star plants!