Also known as ‘Little Ness’, I bought this plant as a gift for my neighbour several years ago from the plant centre at Bodnant Gardens in North Wales. It’s not a Michaelmas daisy you see for sale very often and I bought it inspired by the description on the label rather than knowing what the plant would be like. It hasn’t disappointed.

‘Mounds of foliage are smothered with pink eyed, pale pink daisies when all around other plants are becoming less colourful. Prefers a rich sunny position, is an excellent wildlife plant, loved by bees and butterflies. 30cm (12”) Has a good resistance to mildew.’

Mound forming Aster ‘Small Ness’ flowering in early October with Hebe rakiensis behind.

It certainly does form a neat mound and its pink-eyed flowers turn red-eyed as they age. It is vigorous, drought-tolerant, completely resistant to mildew and should be more widely available. Flowers – September/October.