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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Mine never looked like this

These New England asters at Swarthmore knocked me out last week! They're tough native plants with a blanket of nifty little flowers that bees and butterflies love. And they're fall bloomers, always a good thing.

But sheesh, what a mess my asters' lower leaves and stems are this year. They're brown and straggly and so unattractive, I've cut them down already. Which makes the pathway they line even bleaker. 

No such problems at Swarthmore, where the asters have great sun and lots of room for air to circulate. Don't they look healthy and happy?

Sometimes the folks that do it all right inspire me. This time, the only thought I had was this: I need a staff of gardeners!
Posted by Virginia A. Smith @ 10:08 AM  Permalink | 1 comment
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:17 AM, 10/27/2011
    These fabulous asters have been putting on an impressive show since September at the Scott Arboretum. We love Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite' because it is the most reliable native perennial aster.
    — rrobert267


1 comments
About Virginia A. Smith @ Flower Show
Ginny Smith, a Philadelphia native, joined the Inquirer at 1985. After stints as both reporter and editor in the city and suburbs, she’s been happily writing – and learning - about gardening full time since 2006. She’s won two silver medals of achievement from the national Garden Writers Association and in 2011, Bartram’s Garden honored her with its Green Exemplar award for her stories about “the region’s deeply rooted horticultural history, cultural attractions and bountiful gardens.” She plays in her own – mostly - bountiful garden in East Falls.
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