Coming at the very end of the perennial flowering season, asters lift the autumn garden with their vivid colour. For most of the growing period, they are rather vapid, leafy plants, so you might want to keep them in pots or a nursery bed at first and then plant them in late summer, in place of fading annuals or perennials. Alternatively, try the longer flowering Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’, which starts blooming as early as July and goes right through to the end of October.

Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Cloud’ with Kniphofia rooperi and Dahlia ‘David Howard’

Billowing purple asters joust with burnt-yellow dahlias and kniphofia (red hot poker) in this lurid modern take on the herbaceous border. At a time when everything else in the garden is bleaching to muted browns, biscuits, coppers and reds, this border is like a rave party in a dull suburb.

But though the Day-Glo colours might seem anarchic, the scheme works because it follows a regimented formula: for every dominant plant (red hot poker), there are twice as many accent plants (dahlias) and a mass of filler plants four times the size (the dainty asters).

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HOW TO GROW

Asters grow best in well-drained, moderately fertile soil, in full sun (although you can get away with partial shade). I cut my asters back by half in early June. At the same time, I shape the plant slightly by cutting the outer stems lower than the inner ones. Doing this delays the flowering (extending the season) and improves the habit (so it does not require staking). After flowering, cut the flowered stems to the ground and apply a mulch around the base of the plant.

– Suppliers: Asters are available in your local garden centre or by mail order. Try Old Court Nurseries, Colwall, Malvern (01684 540416; www.autumnasters.co.uk ). The National Collection is held at Upton House near Banbury (01295 670266; www.nationaltrust.org ).

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