Eagle Lake Nurseries Gardening Tips September 2007 Astors for Fall Colour It is when our summer flower gardens are past their best that the fall aster comes into bloom, adding much needed interest to the autumn landscape from August to the frigid temperatures of October. The flowering time of New York aster gives rise to the name of Michaelmas daisy. Profuse, daisy shaped blooms are the origin of another name: starwort. Yellow flower centers are surrounded by ray petals of pink, lavender, purple or white. These hardy, drought resistant plants generally grow best in full sun, although the New York aster will tolerate partial shade. They prefer a well-drained soil with high organic content, so amend the soil with plenty of compost before planting. The flowers are a favourite of bees and butterflies, and may be cut for bouquets and arrangements. Heights vary from 30cm to 1m, so place tall varieties at the back of the flower bed and space the plants well for good air circulation to avoid powdery mildew. Clumps may be divided in the fall, after flowering, or in the spring and the outer portions replanted. The foliage is dark green and compact, and the plant will benefit from pinching back in early summer as this will maintain its shape and encourage more flowers. New York aster, Crimson Brocade [Aster novi-belgii ‘Crimson Brocade’] lives up to its name with spectacular crimson flower clusters and dark green foliage 45cm tall. ‘Purple Dome’ New England aster [Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’] is taller, reaching 75cm and displaying rich purple blooms. Of the Aster dumosus varieties ‘Jenny’ flowers red, ‘Peter Pan’ - pink, and ‘Professor A. Kippenberg’ – lavender blue at a height of 40cm. Asters blend well with helenium, rudbeckia, goldenrod and coneflowers, while ornamental grasses make a beautiful contrast for an autumn display. You might consider planting the little alpine aster [Aster alpinus] for spring blooms in purple and white, especially in your rock garden. Caroline Fine Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd.