Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'
New York aster
A compact variety with violet-purple flowers that have yellow centres from August to October and lance-shaped, mid-green leaves....
A compact rich-purple mound of flower reaching just two feet -the perfect repeat motif with jewel-box autumn flowers of every colour
How to get more flowers
Many flowering plants can be encouraged to produce better and longer-lasting displays with the minimum of effort. A plant produces flowers in order to reproduce and ensure the survival of the species. Once a plant has flowered and fertilisation has taken
Read full articleHow to use companion plants
Companion planting is a method of growing different plants adjacent to one another for the benefit of one or both of the companions. Some plants are thought to confuse or act as a decoy to potential pests, while a few provide food for the pest's natural
Read full articleHow to create a wildlife-friendly garden
Wildlife-friendly gardens are not only more interesting as you can watch all the comings and goings, but they are often more productive as many creatures will help increase pollination. Garden ponds act as a magnet to dragonflies and damsel flies, along w
Read full articlePrairie
Indulge a passion for ornamental grasses by creating a prairie- or meadow-style garden. They can be richly planted with native wildflowers or a selection of complementary perennials and self-seeding annuals to create a naturalistic planting effect.
Read full articleThe Chelsea Chop (and other methods of extending the flowering season)
Many gardeners who are happy, even gung-ho, with the secateurs when pruning shrubs and climbers are surprisingly reluctant to take the shears to herbaceous perennials. Maybe this is because it just doesn't seem quite right to be cutting back all that new
Read full articleSummer daisies
Late summer can be a lacklustre month in the garden, but there’s one group of plants that always shine now - and literally look as fresh as a daisy. With their bright ray petals in yellow, orange, pink, purple or white, daisies flag up their presence to p
Read full articleAsters
Asters get under way in midsummer and the earliest is always Aster × frikartii 'Mönch, with long-rayed lavender daisies that begin in July. It’s drought tolerant and easy, being bred from two European species by Mr Frikart. It makes an excellent partne
Read full articlePerennials for the cutting garden
At some stage in June, your garden will be a glorious affair full of scent and soft flower. Placing a posy from the garden, close to a family hub like the kitchen table, unites your home and garden as effectively as having a huge picture window. You don’t
Read full articleWhich aster?
Heavy morning dews keep everything looking as fresh as a daisy in late summer and early autumn, but finding the right daisy in a sea of varieties is the key to success.
Read full articlePlants birds love in the winter garden
As frost descends and the leaves gather on the lawn, the most important colour is red because it glows against the backdrop of fading stems in muddy shades of khaki, grey and brown. Red’s the colour that fixes the rest of the palette and luckily red berri
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