The fall asters and goldenrods are beginning their displays. One aster of special note is Aster tatarica. It has just begun blooming in the bed next to the outdoor dining area at the Granary. The basal rosette is lettucelike most of the year. In autumn it sends up a tall (5-7 feet) blooming stem that carries many small lavender flowers with yellow centers in a plumelike head. The blooms are long lasting and make quite a show whether massed or poking up through other plants. In fact, they are nearly always seen massed since they spread easily and rapidly. The other bed of Tatarian aster may be seen if you stand at the Barn entrance and look across the patio and up under the trees directly across from you.
The Fearrington Gardeners