Where would we be without daisies? Even if their blaze of tiny flowers drives lawn perfectionists mad in spring, come September their big cousins, Michaelmas daisies, are more than welcome.
North American Michaelmas daisies (Aster novae-angliae and Aster novi-belgii) have been grown on this side of the Atlantic since the end of the 17th century. They are prairie plants and in their native environment grow to at least 90cm so their purple flowers peek above surrounding swathes of grass, but without the support of prairie grasses Michaelmas daisies can become a straggly mess after an all-too-common autumn gale. To make matters worse, early varieties had little resistance to powdery mildew. Who would want to grow such untidy, disease-afflicted plants?
Fortunately, plant breeders have been working on the traditional Michaelmas daisies to produce more than a thousand cultivars. Although early records are thin on the ground, several other aster species have been crossed with A novae-angliae and A novi-belgii to produce more appealing cultivars. Many new hybrids are more compact, bushy and low-growing, while the colour palette has been broadened to include several shades of pink and white.
Michaelmas daisies now make a much better autumn choice than is often realised. If you do have a large bed and scope for taller varieties there’s no shortage of first-rate candidates.
Aster cordifolius Little Carlow has to be up there among the best. Asters can be quite demanding, but this is one of the easier ones. Boasting large heads of lavender-blue flowers with yellow centres, this one performs beautifully in the autumn garden. And the dense, dark green foliage is a welcome bonus.
At 1.2 metres, Aster novae-angliae Harrington’s Pink is a good choice if that’s your colour. I’m not so sure about pink in autumn, but it’s a splendid plant and can cope with a little shade.
If you want a slightly smaller aster and fancy a stronger colour, try Aster novi-belgi Freda Ballard. The large, deep-pink, semi-double daisies climb to 75cm and make a fine statement in any border.
If space is at a premium Aster thomsonii Nanus is a fine choice for small gardens. At 45cm, this compact lilac daisy is especially good for Scotland. Many excellent varieties don’t start into bloom until September, and in a poor year, may not perform well. Nanus usually gets off the marks in July to give you a decent show even when the rain gods are at play.
Mildew can be a right put-off, but amellus varieties have better resistance than most of the others. Even though it nearly became extinct, this European species can still be found growing wild. One cultivar, A amellus Veilchenkonigin, illustrates its fetching charms. This compact plant grows to around 40cm, producing a fine mound of violet daisies.
There’s such a range of attractive dwarf asters that beautifully define the edge of a border or occupy a patio pot. Another Italian aster, A amellus Pink Zenith arranges its mound of lilac-pink daisies in looser clumps than Violet Queen. It bears the amellus hallmark of mildew resistance, even when grown in a dry spot.
If you’d like orange, scarlet or yellow daisies to reflect the colours of turning leaves, you’ll need to look beyond the genus aster to other members of the asteraceae family. Try the dark orange Calendula Indian Prince or Gaillardia x grandiflora Burgunder with large, deep scarlet blooms that keep going for months. Or Arnica montana with its yellow-orange flowers.
And leucanthemums, or shasta daisies, produce large, shaggy, white flowerheads. The variety Banana Cream has gorgeous pale yellow petals with darker yellow centres.
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