On a glorious day in early October we visited Picton Garden near Malvern, home of the Michaelmas daisy. The garden holds the National Collection of more than 400 varieties of this pretty plant.
Bathed in gentle autumn sunlight, the garden hummed with bees and hoverflies spoilt for choice as to which bloom to land on. The borders were a tapestry of pink, lilac and purple flowers knee high, waist high and even taller, in the case of some Aster novae-angliae hybrids. In the centre of the garden, an RHS trial is taking place to record the garden worthiness of this type of Michaelmas daisy and I was amazed at the height of some individual specimens – well over 2m.
At Picton, the collection is planted in an informal garden of unusual shrubs and trees and other late flowering perennials, giving visitors an insight into the variety of conditions the various types enjoy. Planted with yellow Rudbeckia and Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, the lilac blue varieties looked a picture. In the Diamond border, the main collection of Aster novi-belgii group (traditional michaelmas daisies) is showcased without any ‘prop’ plants. Arranged with the lower growers at the front, the tapestry of colour gradually heightens towards the rear hedge of the area and leaves visitors gasping in wonder. Still reeling from the display, you can totter straight into Old Court Nursery (which forms part of the site) to purchase your favourite blooms.
Next year the nursery will celebrate 110 years since opening. It was originally known as Colwall Nursery, where Ernest Ballard raised so many award-winning hybrids early last century. Percy Picton worked with Ballard and took over the running of the nursery after his death. When Percy died, his son Paul took over and the garden is named after his father, who did much to promote and save many of the old plants that would have been lost to cultivation.
Old Court Nursery presents you with two problems. First, it’s hard to choose from so many plants, as my long suffering husband will testify. Second, the botanists have been name changing and the majority of Asters are now known as Symphyotrichum, not a name that trips off the tongue. The only popular types that have stayed within the Aster group are the European Aster amellus and Aster x frikartii. The plants that Picton is known for are now called Symphyotrichum novi-belgii and S. novae-angliae. Having spent years memorising plant names, I’m getting to the age where it feels like hard work to learn more!
Having wandered up and down the rows of plants, I purchased Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Helen Picton’ and ’Colway Century’ not just for their lovely flowers, but for their names which link them to this plantsperson’s paradise.
The Picton Garden and Old Court Nursery, Colwall, near Malvern, is open daily until 20 October.
