ASTERS

I've never experienced weather quite like here on our hillside, I feel connected to the changing elements with an emotion I didn't know existed within me. Looking out of our windows southwards with the sky filling my vision, I feel like we're floating among clouds; the wind, sun and rain passes over and under us. 

The trade off is that it's still late-winter on some days while my southern friends are coasting into summer, but that doesn't mean I can't grow beautiful or edible plants. I've begun exploring the thousands of plants that will cope with the harsh conditions and the best way to know for sure is to grow them myself. 

In years to come I hope to conduct a series of my own plant trials across various groups of plants that take my interest, giving me first hand knowledge of the species, varieties and cultivars that thrive, and don't. First up is a group of plants I started trialling on my London allotment and across garden designs over the last few years: asters. 

I was never a fan …