Thanks for all the suggestions. -Susan, I was thinking of you the other day too, as I was pulling a weed ;-D It was one of those ghastly Adenophoras and I was thinking how much I hoped one of those buggers didn't hitchhike along with any plants I sent you last year!!! Glad you like the Golden Jubilee. I ended up ripping mine out this year because it looked like crap, LOL. Are the bottom leaves on yours dying off? Mine always did and it annoyed me! There is a 'Blue Fortune' planted at work that is incredible. Makes me wonder if my GJ was planted in the wrong area, A. foeniculum tends to do that in general, or if BF is simply a superior cultivar/planted in a better local. After that last thread about the Vernonia I went out to check my plant. Turns out it has nearly made it to two whole feet AND HAS BUDS ON IT!!! Someone please alert the media!!!! What, and that only took three/four years?! I'm excited to see it though. Are the flowers a fairly good purple? I'm just hoping it doesn't blend in with the nearby Joe-Pye. -Kevin, that Clematis is killer! Nice combo-ed with the Helenium too. -woodyoak, how do you guys go about deadheading your BB? Some of those long pole loppers, or do you/hubs get up on a ladder and trim it by hand? Oh yeah, I forgot about Gentian. I have some septemfida blooming out back along a narrow pathway. It's a wonder it is still living since the poor devil got a taste of my foot more times than I care to count this year! Lol. I also stared some 'Marsha' Gentian awhile back. Doubt it will bloom this year, but we will see. Just have to share this pic from over a week ago of Aconitum 'Spark's Variety' with the foliage of my 'Nora Leigh' Phlox. I didn't get it in the shot, but there is some red beebalm nearby as well that looks awesome in combination with them. It is one of those things Bob Ross called a "happy accident" I think! CMK

I have Woods Blue and Woods Pink, but I didn't know there was a purple unless Blue is the same as Purple. (Once again, the blue really isnâÂÂt a blue, but you know how that goes.) Yes, the 2 I have do stay short for me - under 12 inches and they are my favorite fall asters (other than Purple Dome). As the season progresses, the foliage becomes very finely cut and is simply covered with flowers. Only 1 of mine is starting to bloom, so they can be a bit late. Yes, I agree WATER THEM in dry weather or the flowers will shrivel quickly as a few of mine are doing already. You will also have to divide this one yearly unless of course you want a huge clump of them. They multiply very quickly. A 4 inch division in spring will turn into a 12 inch blooming clump by fall. Kevin

I like 'October Skies' for its pale-blue flowered shrubbiness. I think 'Fanny' is the other one I have that is similar. I have a 'Hella Lacy' that really needs to get clipped, which I keep forgetting to do, but this year it bloomed with some goldenrod and looked great. 'Raydon's Favorite' is all mixed up in one bed with a 'Doctor' or 'Professor' somebody and I'm not sure who is what anymore. And I've split my 'Purple Dome' plants into enough to line one border. I mixed them in with a similar looking type from a neighbor. I'm waiting to see if my 'Lady in Black' will come back. I rescued it from a shrub that had started to cast a shadow over it, then decided to split it. I have tall asters (New York?) and tatarian asters (my favorites) along the back fence. And the pale blue asters that were left by the last owner are still growing under the silver maples (and along the sides and front of the house now, too) in the shade. Has anybody else had trouble adjusting to the asters' name change? I haven't gotten used to it yet. Of course, I call lots of plants by names that are no longer appropriate, but I figure the plant police won't knock on my door any time soon.

Thanks to both of you. So good to know. I quite like them. I am not too troubled by them showing up everywhere in my garden but I would not want to think that they are invasive and it would be a bit challenging to thoroughly remove the spent flowers though I could try. Across the road is a forested area and a path with tall wild plants like goldenrod and aster and beyond that a marsh. I don't want to do anything irresponsible. I understand they are short lived. Should I be concerned about them spreading to this natural area across the road?