Aster 'Alpine Aster Blue'

This delightful little Aster has a lot going for it, takes little in the way of care and delivers an amazing, spring show. The masses of flowers are the perfect filler as the spring bulbs begin to fade, and their bright green foliage is all but covered in fully daisy like lilac blue flowers. Allow these blooms their time in the sun, they will evolve to decorative, fluffy seed heads.

The compact size means it is easy to slot into the garden (especially if you are like me and already bulging at the seams). It makes a terrific edging plant and looks fantastic in rock gardens oh, and they will grow well in a container.

The flowers (to 5cm) are singular, over a mass of foliage. They are good for picking as they last in a vase.

Once established the plants don't require a lot of water, or care. Grow in moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. Dig and divide in spring every 3-5 years to maintain their vigour (or save some seed for sowing) as they can be relatively short lived – though they do give a lot in that finite span so it is hard to begrudge them. They don’t like to be cold and wet, so good drainage is important. Watch out for slugs and snails with new foliage.

These plants have excellent mildew resistance and good vigour. They are a good choice for cold climates too, as the alpinus suggests.

In the language of flowers, Aster's denote love or daintiness. The word, Aster, is Latin for Star. Asters are commonly known as Easter Daisies or Michaelmas Daisies.