Showing posts with label Asters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asters. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 July 2019
Sunday, 6 September 2015
How to grow asters.
How to grow asters - Telegraph
Growing tips
Forms of Aster amellus (including 'Veilchenkönigin') and forms of Aster x frikartii (like 'Mönch') are best planted in spring rather than autumn unless you have very well-drained soil. They also need a sunny position. Varieties of A. amellus will need dividing every fourth or fifth year to maintain vigour. Lift in spring and pull into hand-sized pieces and replant in a fresh position about a foot apart. Add grit to
the base of the hole on heavy ground. Water until established. Cut down after flowering.
Propagation
All asters are best divided in spring as new growth starts. Lift and then use two back-to-back forks to split the clump. Mind old stems, they can be sharp. Some varieties are denser and may need a knife or spade. Discard old woody pieces.
Good companions
Asters are good value because their attractive buds are a feature long before their flowers. But you should combine them with spike or saucer shapes and avoid more daisies. 'Violet Queen' is very vibrant and I love to see it nudging against the fluffy beige awns of Pennisetum orientale. It's also good against the spires of pale pink and blush-white penstemons like 'Pearl' and 'Hidcote Pink'. Purple is also an excellent foil for lemon yellow.
Where to buy
Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Priory Lane Nursery, Freefolk Priors, Whitchurch, Hants RG28 7NJ (01256 896533)
Beth Chatto, Elmstead Market, Colchester, Essex, CO7 7DB (01206 822007)
Cotswold Garden Flowers, Sands Lane, Badsey, Worcs, WR11 7EZ (01386 422829)
- Asters | Old Court Nurseries and The Picton GardenAsters | Old Court Nurseries and The Picton Garden
- Aster Amellus 'Violet Queen' or 'Veilchenkönigin' (Italian Asters)
Aster 'Violet Queen' has now become 'Veilchenkönigin', reverting to the German name first chosen by its raiser Karl Foerster in 1956.
Whichever name you use, this vibrant purple aster is a wonderful addition to the late summer garden; its straight-rayed daisies are held on erect stems that reach just 15in high.
It is also a butterfly magnet, perfect for the front of a sunny border and it flowers generously from late August and throughout September.
Each flower has a thick layer of slender petals surrounding a tight golden eye reminding me of thickly coated purple mascara on a young girl.
'Violet Queen' is a selection from the Italian starwort Aster amellus.
The species name is thought to have come from the River Mella, an Italian tributary of the River Po.
This aster, now rare in the wild, can still be found on free-draining ground on sunny limestone slopes through central France, northern Italy, the Czech Republic and the Caucasus.
It was used medicinally as a decoction and a poultice by the Greeks and Romans for a variety of inflammatory ailments, which is possibly why it became rare.
The older variety 'King George' was raised by Amos Perry in 1914 and made Italian asters popular within months.
Apparently Perry intended to call his star plant 'Kaiser William' until history intervened so it became 'King George'. There are 30 named varieties of A. amellus, but I think 'Veilchenkönigin' is the most sparkling and pristine.
All amellus varieties are drought-tolerant and perform in well-drained soil.
This makes them useful in drier gardens where later-flowering North American asters either fail to thrive or develop mildew.
In 1918 Swiss nurseryman Carl Ludwig Frikart (1879-1964) also produced three drought-tolerant asters by crossing A. amellus with A. thomsonii – the latter a Himalayan aster. He named the seedlings after Swiss mountains and 'Eiger', 'Jungfrau' and 'Mönch' are still with us.
The finest is A. x frikartii 'Mönch' – surely the longest flowering aster bred.
It reaches 3ft tall but is slightly lax, with dark green foliage that flatters the loosely rayed lavender-blue flowers. These begin in early August and go on for months. Frikart also produced 'Wunder von Stäfa', but the one sold seems almost identical to 'Mönch'.
This difficult cross has rarely been repeated, in part due to the disappearance of the true A. thomsonii. But Alan Bloom did breed an excellent lilac pink 'Flora's Delight' in 1964 using
A. thomsonii 'Nanus' and the Twenties A. amellus 'Sonia'. It has greyer leaves and is less vigorous. He conceded "it needs well-drained soil to avoid loss from winter wet". 'Nocturne' is another variety with lilac flowers.
- Shades of blue … | Deep Cove Garden Club
- Gorgeous plants and ideas from Marks Hall Garden. - Growing Nicely
Growing tips
Forms of Aster amellus (including 'Veilchenkönigin') and forms of Aster x frikartii (like 'Mönch') are best planted in spring rather than autumn unless you have very well-drained soil. They also need a sunny position. Varieties of A. amellus will need dividing every fourth or fifth year to maintain vigour. Lift in spring and pull into hand-sized pieces and replant in a fresh position about a foot apart. Add grit to
the base of the hole on heavy ground. Water until established. Cut down after flowering.
Propagation
All asters are best divided in spring as new growth starts. Lift and then use two back-to-back forks to split the clump. Mind old stems, they can be sharp. Some varieties are denser and may need a knife or spade. Discard old woody pieces.
Good companions
Asters are good value because their attractive buds are a feature long before their flowers. But you should combine them with spike or saucer shapes and avoid more daisies. 'Violet Queen' is very vibrant and I love to see it nudging against the fluffy beige awns of Pennisetum orientale. It's also good against the spires of pale pink and blush-white penstemons like 'Pearl' and 'Hidcote Pink'. Purple is also an excellent foil for lemon yellow.
Where to buy
Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Priory Lane Nursery, Freefolk Priors, Whitchurch, Hants RG28 7NJ (01256 896533)
Beth Chatto, Elmstead Market, Colchester, Essex, CO7 7DB (01206 822007)
Cotswold Garden Flowers, Sands Lane, Badsey, Worcs, WR11 7EZ (01386 422829)
- Asters | Old Court Nurseries and The Picton GardenAsters | Old Court Nurseries and The Picton Garden
- Aster Amellus 'Violet Queen' or 'Veilchenkönigin' (Italian Asters)
Aster 'Violet Queen' has now become 'Veilchenkönigin', reverting to the German name first chosen by its raiser Karl Foerster in 1956.
Whichever name you use, this vibrant purple aster is a wonderful addition to the late summer garden; its straight-rayed daisies are held on erect stems that reach just 15in high.
It is also a butterfly magnet, perfect for the front of a sunny border and it flowers generously from late August and throughout September.
Each flower has a thick layer of slender petals surrounding a tight golden eye reminding me of thickly coated purple mascara on a young girl.
'Violet Queen' is a selection from the Italian starwort Aster amellus.
The species name is thought to have come from the River Mella, an Italian tributary of the River Po.
This aster, now rare in the wild, can still be found on free-draining ground on sunny limestone slopes through central France, northern Italy, the Czech Republic and the Caucasus.
It was used medicinally as a decoction and a poultice by the Greeks and Romans for a variety of inflammatory ailments, which is possibly why it became rare.
The older variety 'King George' was raised by Amos Perry in 1914 and made Italian asters popular within months.
Apparently Perry intended to call his star plant 'Kaiser William' until history intervened so it became 'King George'. There are 30 named varieties of A. amellus, but I think 'Veilchenkönigin' is the most sparkling and pristine.
All amellus varieties are drought-tolerant and perform in well-drained soil.
This makes them useful in drier gardens where later-flowering North American asters either fail to thrive or develop mildew.
In 1918 Swiss nurseryman Carl Ludwig Frikart (1879-1964) also produced three drought-tolerant asters by crossing A. amellus with A. thomsonii – the latter a Himalayan aster. He named the seedlings after Swiss mountains and 'Eiger', 'Jungfrau' and 'Mönch' are still with us.
The finest is A. x frikartii 'Mönch' – surely the longest flowering aster bred.
It reaches 3ft tall but is slightly lax, with dark green foliage that flatters the loosely rayed lavender-blue flowers. These begin in early August and go on for months. Frikart also produced 'Wunder von Stäfa', but the one sold seems almost identical to 'Mönch'.
This difficult cross has rarely been repeated, in part due to the disappearance of the true A. thomsonii. But Alan Bloom did breed an excellent lilac pink 'Flora's Delight' in 1964 using
A. thomsonii 'Nanus' and the Twenties A. amellus 'Sonia'. It has greyer leaves and is less vigorous. He conceded "it needs well-drained soil to avoid loss from winter wet". 'Nocturne' is another variety with lilac flowers.
- Shades of blue … | Deep Cove Garden Club
- Gorgeous plants and ideas from Marks Hall Garden. - Growing Nicely
Monday, 6 October 2014
Asters.
Fresh as a daisy: Michaelmas daisies add autumnal gaiety to any border | Daily Mail Online: The great strength of Michaelmas daisies, apart from the range of colours they provide, is that this is their time. Michaelmas, or the Feast of St Michael, falls on 29 September, so the plants are always associated with the start of autumn.
The easiest asters (to give Michaelmas daisies their botanical name) to grow are the novi-belgii cultivars.
- A novi-belgii 'Gurney Slade', 'Professor Anton Kippenberg' and 'Mistress Quickly'. All rich violets and purple and massed petals.
- In the pink shades, 'Coombe Gladys' and 'Lady Frances'.
- 'Dusky Maid', 'Winston S Churchill' and 'Prunella' - deep plum-coloured ones.
- New England asters, Aster novae-angliae , which are pretty much pest- and disease-resistant. 'Barr's Violet' is a good purple, as is 'Violetta'. 'Lou Williams' and 'Septemberrubin' are just on the pink side of plum.
- A amellus 'King George', 'Veilchenkönigin' has smaller flower heads but is deeper and more intense in colour, 'Nocturne', which has deep lilac flowers on 3ft tall stems.
- Aster x frikartii. Named the results after Swiss mountains. 'Jungfrau' and 'Eiger' remain good rich lilac/purples, the only real difference being that 'Jungfrau' is more compact and floriferous. 'Mönch'.
Flower focus | Life and style | The Observer: New York Asters.
Although they have been grown in Europe since the 17th century, New York Asters have only been seriously hybridised in the past 100 years. The result is a range of rich, intense colours that work perfectly against autumn's fading light. 'Gurney Slade' 'Mistress Quickly' and 'Professor Anton Kippenberg' are all violet and purple with massed petals, while 'Coombe Gladys' and 'Lady Francis' are halfway between magenta and purple. Even better are all the deep plum-coloured ones. Try 'Dusky Maid', 'Winston S Churchill' and 'Prunella'.
All New York Asters are prone to mildew, which covers the leaves in white fungus. To combat this, grow them in rich, damp soil. In thin, sandy soil it is also hard to avoid grey fungal rot which thrives in hot, dry conditions. It starts mid summer and can almost finish the plant off before it flowers. Best bet is to grow resistant varieties like Aster x frikartii which has long petals and loves very well-drained soil and Aster novae-angliae (from New England) which tends to come in pink. Both are amazingly tough and spread about a foot a year.
In focus: Asters - Telegraph:
The true 'Mönch' is hard to find, but a good nursery, such as Four Seasons or Cotswold Garden Flowers, should be able to supply the authentic form. Its blue daisies appear for almost four months, it needs no staking, and it is healthy.
Aster lateriflorus 'Horizontalis' looks distinguished at any time of year.
Growing tips
Most soils in sun or partial shade will suit asters.
If you give them too much nourishment, they will become lax and floppy.
Most varieties need staking, firmly. Autumn winds can make asters look very messy.
Division is best done in spring rather than in autumn. But you can also do it in August so that plants make new roots in warm soil.
Many of the old A. novi-belgii group are very invasive. If you are desperate to the kind of asters found in old gardens, try planting them in long grass, where they can look quite romantic.
Where to buy
Four Seasons Forncett St Mary, Norwich, Norfolk NR16 1JT (01508 488344; www.fsperennials.co.uk) - mail order only.
Cotswold Garden Flowers Sands Lane, Badsey, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 5EZ (01386 833849; www.cgf.net).
To buy asters from greenfingers.com click here.
To buy asters from crocus.co.uk.
'via Blog this'
The easiest asters (to give Michaelmas daisies their botanical name) to grow are the novi-belgii cultivars.
- A novi-belgii 'Gurney Slade', 'Professor Anton Kippenberg' and 'Mistress Quickly'. All rich violets and purple and massed petals.
- In the pink shades, 'Coombe Gladys' and 'Lady Frances'.
- 'Dusky Maid', 'Winston S Churchill' and 'Prunella' - deep plum-coloured ones.
- New England asters, Aster novae-angliae , which are pretty much pest- and disease-resistant. 'Barr's Violet' is a good purple, as is 'Violetta'. 'Lou Williams' and 'Septemberrubin' are just on the pink side of plum.
- A amellus 'King George', 'Veilchenkönigin' has smaller flower heads but is deeper and more intense in colour, 'Nocturne', which has deep lilac flowers on 3ft tall stems.
- Aster x frikartii. Named the results after Swiss mountains. 'Jungfrau' and 'Eiger' remain good rich lilac/purples, the only real difference being that 'Jungfrau' is more compact and floriferous. 'Mönch'.
Flower focus | Life and style | The Observer: New York Asters.
Although they have been grown in Europe since the 17th century, New York Asters have only been seriously hybridised in the past 100 years. The result is a range of rich, intense colours that work perfectly against autumn's fading light. 'Gurney Slade' 'Mistress Quickly' and 'Professor Anton Kippenberg' are all violet and purple with massed petals, while 'Coombe Gladys' and 'Lady Francis' are halfway between magenta and purple. Even better are all the deep plum-coloured ones. Try 'Dusky Maid', 'Winston S Churchill' and 'Prunella'.
All New York Asters are prone to mildew, which covers the leaves in white fungus. To combat this, grow them in rich, damp soil. In thin, sandy soil it is also hard to avoid grey fungal rot which thrives in hot, dry conditions. It starts mid summer and can almost finish the plant off before it flowers. Best bet is to grow resistant varieties like Aster x frikartii which has long petals and loves very well-drained soil and Aster novae-angliae (from New England) which tends to come in pink. Both are amazingly tough and spread about a foot a year.
In focus: Asters - Telegraph:
The true 'Mönch' is hard to find, but a good nursery, such as Four Seasons or Cotswold Garden Flowers, should be able to supply the authentic form. Its blue daisies appear for almost four months, it needs no staking, and it is healthy.
Aster lateriflorus 'Horizontalis' looks distinguished at any time of year.
Growing tips
Most soils in sun or partial shade will suit asters.
If you give them too much nourishment, they will become lax and floppy.
Most varieties need staking, firmly. Autumn winds can make asters look very messy.
Division is best done in spring rather than in autumn. But you can also do it in August so that plants make new roots in warm soil.
Many of the old A. novi-belgii group are very invasive. If you are desperate to the kind of asters found in old gardens, try planting them in long grass, where they can look quite romantic.
Where to buy
Four Seasons Forncett St Mary, Norwich, Norfolk NR16 1JT (01508 488344; www.fsperennials.co.uk) - mail order only.
Cotswold Garden Flowers Sands Lane, Badsey, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 5EZ (01386 833849; www.cgf.net).
To buy asters from greenfingers.com click here.
To buy asters from crocus.co.uk.
'via Blog this'
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