Plants for Late Season Colour

Angelica gigas, is a stunning late flowering umbellifer grown for its large purple umbels of flowers which are attractive to pollinating insects. It is also called Korean angelica, giant Angelica, purple parsnip, and dangquai. It is a monocarpic biennial or short-lived perennial plant from China, Japan and Korea where it inhabits forests, grasslands and banks of streams. The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Aster frikartii ‘Monch’ is probably one of the top ten border plants, this traditional lavender-blue aster offers several advantages over other Michaelmas Daisies. It has a longer flowering season,beginning earlier, in mid-summer, and continuing into autumn. It doesn't really need staking, and is mildew-resistant. It is also exceptionally free flowering,with an attractive colour that is easy to place as it associates well with so many summer and autumn flowers. Asters are best grown in a sunny or partially shaded position with fertile, well-drained soil. It requires adequate moisture throughout summer. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its Award of Garden Merit.

Aster 'Little Carlow' is probably the most fashionable Michaelmas Daisy of the moment, and rightly so. This is a hybrid between Aster cordifolius and A. novi-belgii. It has single flowers with lilac-blue petals and yellow centres, which appear on sturdy stems in late September. It is a healthy plant which forms a good, dense clump of dark green leaves and grows to 90cm (3ft) or more.

Aster pyrenaeus ‘Lutetia’ is an easy to grow ‘Michaelmas Daisy’ which has graceful wiry stems which are covered in pale lilac blue daisies for many, many weeks in late summer and autumn. This is a low-growing variety that is ideal for use at the front of the border or along the edge of a path. It thrives in any well drained and sunny position. Clumps benefit from regular division to keep them healthy and vigorous. Aster pyrenaeus ‘Lutetia’ is great for adding late season colour to the front of the herbaceous border.