Sea Aster

Sea Aster (Aster tripolium) A shore (groan :rolleyes: ) favourite of mine. Will grow on tidal flats and under cliffs near salt or brackish water. These were spectacular at the base of an ivy covered rock face.

 

Lovely picture, never heard of the sea aster - I shall now keep my eyes open for it its a pretty plant.

 

Thanks Frogesque. You have put a name to another flower in my garden. It grows wild although I am nowhere near the sea.

 

Lovely photos of the (probable) Sea Asters (Aster tripolium). A word of caution, Jinty - your "sea asters" are more likely to be wild Michaelmas Daisies (Aster amellus). They are very similar, but the Michaelmas Daisies have bigger and fuller flowers. Sea Asters are coastal and most frequent in the south. Doubt if they grow near Glasgow.

 

Hornbeam:

I first came across them growing on top of tidal flats near Newport on Tay. They tend to bloom earlier than Michaelmas daisies

This pic (taken the day before from a different place to the ones above) may be a hybrid or the wild Aster amellus. Although the colour is similar it's much fuller and there are more and wider petals.

 

Thanks Hornbeam & Frogesque
Here is a pic taken this afternoon (not very good quality tho') Most of the plants are just starting to flower.
Anyway, next time someone tells me they are weeds I'll be able to say that they are Aster amellus.