Episode 2
To help bring a welcome splash of colour to these dark winter days, Monty looks back at some seasonal highlights where the plants and the passionate people who grow them take centre stage.
To help bring a welcome splash of colour to these dark winter days, Monty looks back at some seasonal highlights where the plants and the passionate people who grow them take centre stage.
At Longmeadow, his tender salvias are ready to go in the ground. And with the big pots in the Jewel Garden, it’s out with the tulips and in with some bold summer bedding.
Carol Klein shares some tips and inspiration to brighten up beds, borders and containers in spring. Advolly Richmond retraces the footsteps of renowned garden designer and writer Vita Sackville-West. And in Worcestershire, Rachel de Thame celebrates one of the stars of the autumn border, the aster.
There’s a man in Leeds who has spent a lifetime perfecting the art of growing delphiniums. And a self-confessed fern fanatic in Wiltshire showcases his fascination with these plants.
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Margaret Stone’s New England asters
Michaelmas daisies are one of the stars of the autumn border, so called because they reach their peak either side of Michaelmas Day on the 29 September. They’ve always been a cottage garden favourite and are highly valued by the cut-flower trade worldwide.
In recent years, scientific studies have shown that asters native to North America are totally unrelated to those that come from Europe and Asia, which is why some of them are now known as Symphyotrichum or Eurybia, rather than Aster.
Margaret’s collection is composed of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, otherwise known as the New England aster. They are a good choice for gardeners because they get nice and tall, can be left in the ground for several years, and don’t succumb to powdery mildew. Varieties of the New York aster, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, are rather more demanding.They must be kept moist and divided on a regular basis to keep them happy.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Monty Don |
| Presenter | Rachel de Thame |
| Presenter | Carol Klein |
| Presenter | Advolly Richmond |
| Executive Producer | Rosemary Edwards |
| Series Editor | Sharon Fisher |
| Production Manager | Francesca Maxwell |
