My paper flower for September is the Chinese aster
Chinese asters in crepe paper. My paper flower for the month of September is the Chinese aster, a native, as it name suggests, of the mountain grasslands of China. It is a member of the asteraceae family and is known as Callistephus chinensis , from the Greek words for beautiful,(kalli) and flower crown (stephus). Just as the garden is losing its vibrant displays of early summer, the Chinese asters kick in with what can only be described as an explosion of colour and high drama. They make the other flowers that bloom in the latter season, the rudbeckias, helianthus and even its relation the Michaelmas daisies seem a little drab and dowdy in comparison. The real Chinese asters we planted in March with my paper versions. It is the first time that we have grown this particular annual. We planted it in March directly into pots and into the ground and promptly forgot about them. The nasturtiums grew up and below in their shadow the Callistephus were quietly progressing, sudden
