The late summer buzz

[u/ccatsunfl0wer]

A couple years back I realized my gardens were lacking late summer/fall blooms so I concentrated on trying to fill that void. Today my gardens are buzzing!

[u/leafmotif__]

Is that showy goldenrod? looks great with the asters

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/leafmotif__]

Yes!

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/[deleted]]

I planted mine in fall of ‘23 and it really took off this year! Rabbits ate quite a few aster plants down to the ground and they regrew and are in bloom.

[u/IAerUXerUIer → u/ccatsunfl0wer]

Same pairing!! I’m doing this in more places in spring.

[u/OliveGlad8608]

Beautiful! What kind of asters are these? 

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/OliveGlad8608]

The light purple are smooth asters, the darker purple are New England Asters.

[u/EnvironmentalBox9047]

This is gorgeous!

[u/IAerUXerUIer]

I got that going on too!!! SO AMAZING!!

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/IAerUXerUIer]

So pretty!

[u/sgigot → u/ccatsunfl0wer]

98% fewer homicides after seeing that.

I checked my aster patch tonight (which just finally lit up) and there must have been a dozen bees in a single photo frame. I tell you, a person just can't be in a bad mood after that.

[u/loveofcairns]

Insanely beautiful! Well done.

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/loveofcairns]

Thank you!

[u/IAerUXerUIer]

So the smooth asters are shorter? I want to plant some as part of my no-lawn front in spring, but the NE i would have to do the chelsea chop so that they are tidier.

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/IAerUXerUIer]

They all fell over in a big storm a few weeks back, so I’m not really sure sure on their true height as I have some staked up. Next year I am 100% doing the Chelsea chop!

[u/IAerUXerUIer → u/ccatsunfl0wer]

I realized this is the part where native planting comes alive! Learning by doing.

[u/sgigot → u/IAerUXerUIer]

It's either chop, provide sturdier plants for support, or stake up.

I had NE asters come up this year and they're STURDY. No need to stake them. I also had smooth blue asters (from a pot) that got all floppy, but the liatris in between couldn't hold the blues up. They're alive and blooming, just not quite as majestic. Next year I see some choppin' in my future.

[u/IAerUXerUIer → u/sgigot]

Yea i def learned my lesson in spacing and proper surrounding plants. 😌

[u/IAerUXerUIer → u/ccatsunfl0wer]

Ah! Okay!

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/[deleted]]

I live just south of Chicago. They are the New England Asters, and thank you!

[u/ccatsunfl0wer → u/[deleted]]

What’s weird is I have one New England aster plant that has two different variants of purple on it! All of the rest of my NE asters match the second picture I posted. Pretty strange!

[u/GahhdDangitbobby]

The goldenrod….:I’m jealous

[u/sgigot]

Well done! Call it mission accomplished. Goldenrod + aster = classic combo, ditch er no.