Michaelmas Daisy

The Michaelmas Daisies, among dede weeds,
Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds.
And seems the last of flowers that stood,
Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.

(The Feast of St. Simon and Jude is 28 October)

Our Michaelmas daisies are just coming into their own, and from past experience, will continue to flower for the next month. I love the rich-purple colour of this variety, though I may well have to move it in the spring as it seems to be taller than I expected and is growing in quite the wrong place! Despite their apparently similar appearance, Michaelmas daisies are taxonomically complicated, with several genera widely grown, including several hybrids. Sometimes it's easier to just use the English name!