As the days get shorter, it is staying mild with only a few light frosts. Most mornings it is dark when going to work and when arriving back home. This weekend the clocks went back an hour, coupled with the fact that I don’t need to leave as early due to traffic being light at weekends, I got to spend a few minutes in the garden before leaving for work.
My favourite plant at this time of year is the Nippon Daisy, also called Montauk Daisy, Nipponanthemum nipponicum. It starts to flower T the beginning of October, the large daisy flowers are stunning
The plant is about 1meter tall (3ft), rounded in shape but a little wider. When frosts arrive, the flowers will get killed off and when it gets even colder foliage and stems may die back.
I leave the old growth in place until spring, even at this time of year you can see next year’s buds swelling further back along the stems towards the centre of the plant.
In early Spring, I will cut back the dead wood to the new buds. New growth will be produced, and the plant will.make a dense rounded mound. I have three plants growing in the area we call ‘The Pylon Garden’. The round shapes add structure to the planting and their repetition helps link the areas together to unify the design.
A super plant for structure and late season flowers.
Ciaran The Gardener 