Another Erigeron? (No, an Aster, I think).

[Alan_b]

This is one of those few annoying plants that I have no recollection of buying and subsequently planting (and, of course, no label).  It has just two long but weak stems that would have sprawled along the ground and got lost in the undergrowth had I not attached it to the trellis recently.  Did I think it would climb or that it would benefit from the warmth of that position in front of a brick wall?  My best guess is that it is an Erigeron but, if so, which one?         

[Alan_b]

Last year I visited Fullers Mill Garden for the first time.  It's a beautiful garden and made a strong impression on me.  I was at an event there yesterday and found this plant growing in the garden.

 

It is very similar to the one I have except that this one has a stronger growth habit than my particular specimen.  Fullers Mill has a sales table with a selection of plants from their garden (many of which are rare and unusual) and I bought one or two things there last year so it now seems likely that this is my plant and Fullers Mill is where it came from.  Apart from very similar flowers, I noticed it has the same habit of producing serrated leaves near the base but smooth leaves near the top.  Unfortunately I could not see a label by the plant in the garden and the garden staff were busy with the event so I did not like to ask - but I'll try again there later if we draw a blank here.  Maybe it's an Aster or something formerly known as Aster?       

[Alan_b]

On Gardeners World last night Rachel de Thame visited a garden in Wiltshire owned by a lady with a penchant for borders with a symmetric layout.  Two or three times there was a brief shot of something with very similar flowers to those I am trying to identify, but no clue as to what it was.

I've added a screen shot

[Alan_b]

Nobody took a stab at identifying this one but I found something pretty similar in the bed outside the walled garden at Wimpole Hall yesterday and that was labelled Aster 'Little Carlow' (which has become Symphyotrichum 'Little Carlow').  That name does sound vaguely familiar.  The flowers and the leaves are fairly similar but my plant only managed two rather straggly stems; maybe it just needs more time or would prefer a spot with a bit more shade?  'Little Carlow' is said to be a hybrid between Symphyotrichum cordifolium/cordifolius and Symphyotrichum novi-belgii.   

The problem with 'Little Carlow' is the flower size.  My flowers are about 7 cm across and I thought the ones I saw labelled 'Little Carlow' were of a similar size but it seems they should be much smaller

'Little Carlow' is a bushy herbaceous perennial with abundant violet-blue, yellow-centred, daisies 2cm across

So I am still struggling with the identification.  Does anyone grow 'Little Carlow' and can confirm the flower size? 

       

[Maggi Young]

Perhaps  you could contact Ross Barbour, SRGC forumist, and his wife Helen Picton - the Picton Garden is a repository of all sorts of info on Asters and daisies!

[MargaretB]

Better still, pay a visit to the Picton Garden to see for yourself.  It's a colourful spectacle in September and is situated by the Malvern Hills in beautiful scenery.  Even better, spend a few days there, walk on the hills and take in the Malvern Autumn Show, I can recommend it and you know you deserve a holiday Alan.

[Maggi Young]

That sounds pretty good,  Margaret!

[Alan_b]

I agree, and it's very perceptive of Margaret to discern that I deserve a holiday.  But I already have one booked and it's not to the Malvern Hills, tempting as it sounds.

I discovered that it is possible to take a virtual tour of the Picton Garden http://www.autumnasters.co.uk/picton_garden_tour.htm .  That certainly makes me want to visit in person.  Although it's hard to judge scale, I wondered if my plant might be an Aster amellus hybrid as these look to have large flowers.  At least one Aster amellus cultivar that I found ("Blue King") is said to have the 'upright but lax' habit of my plant.   

[Alan_b]

I now have a provisional identification for the Aster I photographed at Fullers Mill and that one is Aster × frikartii 'Mönch'.  There is a good article here by Val Bourne https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/home-garden/gardening/plants/perennials/how-to-grow-aster-x-frikartii-monch from which I learn that it is a hybrid between Aster amellus and Aster thomsonii and should be more drought-tolerant than the average Aster.   It has large flowers; I have already concluded that Aster amellus seems to be responsible for many of the large-flowered Asters.  That's probably as much as I can achieve with regard to identification.  This website gives an account of the origin of the name https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/products/aster-x-frikartii-monch .

[Alan_b]

I thought there was nothing more to be written on this topic but by coincidence Gardeners World (the edition first broadcast 1st September 2017) featured both my prime candidate, 'Mönch', and my red herring, 'Little Carlow', in quick succession (the latter was not yet in flower).  Happily Monty said nothing to suggest I am wrong in my identification.