Aster novi-belgii Flamingo

Aster novi-belgii 'Flamingo' is a robust perennial which blooms between September and October in a multitude of semi-double pale pink flowers resembling small daisies. It is perfect for taking over from your summer-flowering perennials and brightening up your garden in autumn.

Asters belong to the Asteraceae or Compositae family, which mainly includes herbaceous plants. The genus Aster offers a large number of species, with a multitude of floriferous varieties. They come in all sizes, in an extremely rich range of colours. Aster novae-angliae and Aster novi-belgii, from which this variety originates, are the two main species of large asters.

Aster novi-belgii 'Flamingo' is a tall aster, reaching 90 cm (35in) in height, and is easy to grow. It thrives in sun or partial shade, sheltered from strong winds. You can plant it at the back of borders, paired with chrysanthemums and other late-flowering perennials such as echinaceas, sunflowers, or heucheras, which create an excellent contrast of warm colours, or certain grasses with fine foliage. These asters also make excellent cut flowers. Their somewhat creeping roots produce branching stems, adorned with lanceolate, dark green and glossy leaves.

There are species of aster associated with each season, including Aster alpinus or Aster tongolensis in spring; Aster amellus or Aster frikartii in summer; and Aster cordifolius, Aster dumosus, Aster ericoides, Aster lateriflorus, Aster novae-angliae, or Aster novi-belgii in the autumn.