Aster novi-belgii Marie Ballard

Aster novi-belgii Marie Ballard is a robust perennial which blooms between September and October in a multitude of very bright pale blue flowers resembling small double daisies. The somewhat creeping stump produces branched stems adorned with lanceolate, dark green and glossy leaves.

'Marie Ballard' is a tall Aster reaching 1m (40in) in height. It enlivens the garden in late summer and early autumn, a period when most flowering perennials have disappeared. Easy to grow, it thrives in a sunny or lightly shaded site, sheltered from strong winds, in a rich and moist soil. You can plant it at the back of borders, combined with chrysanthemums and other late-flowering perennials such as echinaceas, helianthus or heucheras, which create an excellent contrast of warm colours, or alongside grasses with fine foliage. These asters also make excellent cut flowers.

Aster novi-belgii, along with Aster novae-angliae, are the two main species of tall asters. They belong to the Asteraceae or Compositae family, which mostly includes herbaceous plants. The Aster genus offers a large number of species, represented by a multitude of very different varieties. They come in all sizes, in an extremely rich range of colours. Consider planting along with a selection of spring- and summer-blooming aster varieties, so you can enjoy their beautiful rustic flowering for many months.