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The Michaelmas Daisy

Aster amellus.

MICHAELMAS DAISIES are not in high repute, for they are not well represented in gardens. A certain number of coarse, weedy sorts have obtained entrance, and have spread far and wide; and when, by the artistic eye, they are weighed in the balances and found wanting, the whole race is condemned for their defects. But there are in cultivation some truly noble kinds, and many that are beautiful and useful if not noble; and their value is in some degree enhanced by the fact of their flowering late in the summer when the gaiety of the garden is overpast. From August to the close of the year is the season of the Michaelmas daisies; one of their number (Aster grandiflorus) is called the "Christmas daisy," because of its late flowering, and it is not at all uncommon for them to fight the frost night after night as the season wears on, and come out triumphant at last in unfolding to the declining year all their starry flowers. Dante alludes to the struggle of flowers with frost in the second canto of the first book of the "Divine Comedy," as representing his own case when overcome by the inspiration of Beatrice:- "As florets by the frosty air of night Bent down and clos'd, when day has blanch'd their leaves, Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems; So was my fainting vigour new restor'd, And to my heart such kindly courage ran, That I as one undaunted soon replied."

Chaucer had made note of the fact as a theme for poetry, and it touched the vein of tenderness which was so peculiarly his :- "But right as floures through the cold of night Iclosed, stoupen in her stalkes lowe, Redressen hem agen the sunne bright, And spreden in her kinde course by rowe."

Troil. and Cress. II.

A large proportion of the plants classed as Michaelmas daisies are native of North America, and therefore are hardy enough for any part of the British Isles. They may be more properly regarded as perennial asters, for such they are when season of flowering, as remarked above, is of some four or five months' duration. They are among the most accommodating plants of their class known, being truly indifferent as to soil and situation. provided they have something to live on and are blessed with a glimpse of sunshine at some part of the day. But they are like many other accommodating plants in the fact that they make a far finer show of their flowers in a good soil, a pure air, and a sunny situation, than when overshaded by trees and with exhausted earth for their sole sustenance. The larger and bolder kinds are fine shrubbery plants, and some of the smaller unattractive kinds are worth growing to cut from, for their clusters of little stars are often useful for decorative purpose, though as seen in the garden they may by inconspicuous and of small account. The safest rule of classification appears to be found in the relative heights of the plants. Beginning with the smallest, we have a charming thing in Aster alpinus, the blue daisy of the Alps, a plant which in gardens grows to a height of six inches, producing large blue flowers, but in the mountain pastures is too short to rise above the fine grass, amidst which its flowers appear like large blue daisies. "Star of the mead! sweet daughter of the day, Whose opening flower invites the morning ray, From thy moist check, and bosom's chilly cold, To kiss the tear of eve, the dewdrops cold.

Other useful dwarf kinds are A. attaicus, with rosy purple flowers; A. patens, purplish-blue; A. sericeus, deep blue; A. versicolor, white changing to pale purple; A. dumosus, pale lilac-blue.

Another series adapted for second and third rows are the following:- A. amellus, flowers blue with yellow disc, one of the best; A. dracunculoides, purplish-blue, fine; A. fragilis, flowers white, changing to rose or purple; A. laevis, purple with yellow centre, useful and good; A. laxus, pale blue, fine; A. pendulus, white, changing to rose; A. pyremoeus, lilac-blue with yellow disc; A. turbinellus, delicate mauve, a handsome plant. In this section occur the most generally useful kinds.

Amongst the taller sorts suitable for planting amongst shrubs and in the reserve garden the best are A. cordifolius, flowers early, white or pale violet; A. elegans, purple and white, useful to cut from; A. grandiflorus, violet, late, very handsome; A. longifolius, purple-blue, showy; A. multiflorus, small flowers in elegant bouquets, most valuable to cut from; A. nora-angliae, late flowering, very tall, flowers violet and purple; A. obliquus, late flowering, white with purple disc, coarse, but in its way superb. A score or even fifty more may be found by those who need them, but the foregoing will suffice to stock a large garden with the most distinct and handsome kinds that need no special care when once they have been properly planted. "Last smile of the departing year, Thy sister sweets are flown ! They pensive wreath is far more dear From blooming thus alone. "Thy tender blush, thy simple frame, Unnoticed might have passed; But now thou com'st with softer claim, The loveliest and the last. "Sweet are the charms in thee we find-- Emblem of hope's gay wing; 'Tis thine to call past bloom to mind, To promise future spring."