Multicoloured daisies are bursting open and filling borders with brilliant colour right now - for this is the season of the Aster, one of the most beautiful and reliable performers in the late-season garden. Now is the perfect time to add a few more, so drop into the garden centre and choose your favourite to take home.
Asters do best in free-draining soil in a sunny spot: the shorter types do well in containers, too. Stake tall varieties, and divide the clumps every few years to keep them young and vigorous. In return, they’ll give you a sea of colour from late summer till the first frosts.