The later-appearing blooms are having their moment in the garden right now, finds GINA PARKINSON.

AUGUST sees a change in the garden as early summer plants begin to fade and have their places taken by their later-blooming fellows.

The first Michaelmas daisies, for example, are now flowering.

In our garden, the quickest off the mark is always Aster frikartii ‘Monch’, and I make no apology for including this plant once again here.

It is a favourite, with masses of the most beautiful large lilac-blue flowers that are held for weeks from July. It is hardy in the sunny, well-drained position it has, weathering even the cold we had last winter.

A tall mustard yellow achillea and bronzed-leafed fennel that rise up behind offer the perfect combination of colour, the hue of their blooms reflecting the central yellow discs of the daisy and complementing the blue of the petals.

While these mustards and blues are vibrantly wonderful, it is also good to see a more subtle combination of plants in the garden.

A buttery autumn daisy that has inserted itself around our garden could become annoying, save for its ability to mix in with everything else, changing its nature according to the company it keeps.

In the group described above, the yellow of its shiny flowers obviously mixes well with the achillea and fennel.

Surprisingly, it also fits in with a much quieter mix of Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’, a dark-stemmed and leafed sedum topped with dusty pink flower buds and a pale yellow-green leafed heuchera that reflects the colour of the daisy.

Veronicastrum is an elegant plant that prefers a boggy site, although it will cope with slightly drier conditions as long as it has shade for the hottest part of the day.

The parent plant Veronicastrum virginicum has long narrow spires of purplish blue flowers at the top of 60cm stems from July to September, and the dark green leaves are lance-shaped.

The species ‘Roseum’ is pink, while ‘Album’ is pink flushed white, ‘Fascination’ has red eyed lavender blooms and ‘Erica’ has red buds that open out to pale pink flowers.

The sedum that grows by the white-flowered Veronicastrum has dark pink stems and slightly flushed mid-green leaves.

The massed flower buds open during August and attract many hoverflies, bees and butterflies, especially on a sunny day, and are a soft pink, reflecting the colour of the fleshy stems on which they sit.

This plant usually prefers a dry, sunny place, but it seems quite happy to be in the slightly damper, partially sunny site that the Veronicastrum prefers.


Weekend catch-up...

IN OUR mini veg patch, the last of the broad beans have been harvested. We had a good crop of beans considering there was space for only half a dozen stems, so we will definitely be growing them again.

They have been an easy crop, they just need canes and string for support and a good watering when the weather is dry. The tips of the stems were attacked by blackfly at the end of July, but by that time the crop was more or less over.

These broad beans were planted in spring, but next season we will get them in earlier. Broad beans are tough and can be over-wintered in the garden by sowing the beans in late autumn. The support can be put in place at the same time, so that everything is ready for when they start to shoot up in spring.


York Cemetery Walk

DR DAVID Chesmore will lead a Butterfly Walk at York Cemetery on Sunday, August 22. The walk begins at 2pm, sets off from the gatehouse and will last around two hours.

There are 25 places and tickets, which are £2.50 per person, need to be bought in advance from the cemetery office, telephone number 01904 610578.


Open Gardens

Sunday, August 8
In aid of the National Gardens Scheme
Mansion Cottage, Gillus Lane, Bempton, two miles north east of Bridlington. Lush, perennial planting highlighted by grasses in a peaceful garden with many views and features.

The borders have been newly extended for 2010 and include more grasses and ironworks. There is also an exhibition of art and ceramics.

Open 10am-4pm, admission £3. Also open today 10am-4pm.


Gardening TV and Radio

Sunday, August 8
8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. Presented by Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Chris Beardshaw, Matthew Biggs, Anne Swithinbank and chairman Eric Robson are in Wales where they advise gardeners from Powys. Chris also gives advice on growing yew hedges.

Friday, August 13
3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Bob Flowerdew, Bunny Guinness, Matthew Wilson and chairman Peter Gibbs help members of Wenhaston Gardeners’ Club in Suffolk with their horticultural problems. They also pay a visit to RHS Hyde Hall in Essex to examine the drought-tolerant plants there. The gardening weather forecast is at 3.40pm.

Saturday, August 14
7am, BBC Radio York, Julia Booth. Presenter Julia and plant expert Nigel Harrison hold their weekly plant surgery.