Aster JS Barts Blue Beauty

Aster 'JS Bart's Blue Beauty' is a low-growing and well-branched aster, particularly floriferous in late summer and autumn. It produces a multitude of semi-double flowers, with a soft blue-lilac colour and a bright centre surrounded by a small yellow heart. It is easily grown in any well-drained soil, even poor and limestone, or occasionally dry. This lovely perennial can be planted in rockeries and sunny borders to maintain its habit as a large cushion, almost ground-covering.

Aster 'JS Bart's Blue Beauty' belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a recent horticultural hybrid resulting from the hybridisation of different wild species (probably A. amellus and A. pyrenaicus). This herbaceous perennial shows a compact tufted habit from spring, with highly branched stems from the base. It will reach about 35cm (14in) in height when flowering, and spread over 40cm (16in), with a fairly rapid growth rate. The basal leaves are slightly pubescent, lanceolate, and green. Along the stem, the leaves are sessile (without petioles), acute, and dark green. This variety has a particularly abundant flowering period that extends from September to October or November, only ending with the first frost. The flowers, arranged in heads, have a soft and bright luminous mauve-blue colour; the centre, on the other hand, is yellow, bringing a sunny touch to this delightful flowering. The plant is deciduous. Its above-ground vegetation dies in winter.

It is impossible to imagine our gardens without asters. They go well with all kinds of perennials. 'JS Bart's Blue Beauty' would blend beautifully with yellow (goldenrods, marigolds) or orange blossoms, or you can decide to integrate them into a range of colours from white to mauve to blue. Also consider low-growing grasses that will accompany the asters until the end of autumn. Its modest size allows you to incorporate it into the composition of your flower pots.