I understand that you can grow Asters in containers in a remote part of the
garden and move them into the border as late as 1st September where they
will flower perfectly happily. But that exercise only has value if you have
a plant to do the early shift.

Any suggestions for perennials the would flower early and, most important,
will not mind being moved into a pot whilst the Aster takes its place and
does its stuff. A Lupin would be ideal as it becomes an eyesore by late
summer- but it does not like being moved - does it? And any other
suggestions of perennial pairs to do a double shifts. The key must be
plants happy to be moved.

In message , Peter Sutton
writes
I understand that you can grow Asters in containers in a remote part of the
garden and move them into the border as late as 1st September where they
will flower perfectly happily. But that exercise only has value if you have
a plant to do the early shift.

Any suggestions for perennials the would flower early and, most important,
will not mind being moved into a pot whilst the Aster takes its place and
does its stuff. A Lupin would be ideal as it becomes an eyesore by late
summer- but it does not like being moved - does it? And any other
suggestions of perennial pairs to do a double shifts. The key must be
plants happy to be moved.


Not quite what you ask for, but you could try early flowering biennials
such as wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri), honesty (Lunaria annua) or
forget-me-not (Myosotis). And that leads onto the possibility of bulbs.
I'd guess that you could treat narcissi or tulips in the desired manner.

I grow a rhizomatous Sidalcea (I think it's Sidalcea candida), which
seems to lift and divide fairly readily, but admittedly I've mostly done
that in spring, and the rhizome I moved in late autumn 'cos it was
growing into some other plants didn't take well to being moved that
late.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Any suggestions for perennials the would flower early and, most
important,
will not mind being moved into a pot whilst the Aster takes its place and
does its stuff.


Not quite what you ask for, but you could try early flowering biennials
such as wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri), honesty (Lunaria annua) or
forget-me-not (Myosotis). And that leads onto the possibility of bulbs.
I'd guess that you could treat narcissi or tulips in the desired manner.

I grow a rhizomatous Sidalcea (I think it's Sidalcea candida), which
seems to lift and divide fairly readily, but admittedly I've mostly done
that in spring, and the rhizome I moved in late autumn 'cos it was
growing into some other plants didn't take well to being moved that
late.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Thanks for your help Stewart - the forget-me-nots do muscle their way in
anyway - but they do a useful job.