Tips, tricks & buys: GARDEN notes

Late-season colour and inspiration

- CHRIS MORLEY

ASTER LA VISTA!

Easy-going asters are a must-grow for late-season colour, flowering from August to the end of October. Available in pink, blue, purple and white, they form clouds of colour. For high contrast, try smoky mauve Aster novi-belgii ‘Purple Dome’ (50cm high) with yellow-bronze rudbeckias. For a softer look, lavender-blue ‘Little Carlow’ works beautifully with buff or golden grasses, like miscanthus.

APPLE HARVEST

Storing your crop of apples correctly will keep them fresh through the winter. Only store late-maturing varieties, like Red Falstaff, as early ones don’t keep well. Set aside bruised fruit for eating/cooking. Wrap each good apple in newspaper, place in a box or vegetable rack, and keep in dark, airy, slightly damp place.