asters

The asters have been so prolific this season. Meadows full of billowy white puffs of blossoms. Occasional plants with blooms all shades of lavender. The back garden row has two large clumps of the vivid purple New England aster.

The front garden is full of tiny white star-like flowers. They are mixed in with the shriveling coneflowers. I thought – a black and white photo would be fun to try with this subject. It would emphasize the star-like quality of the asters and the stark shapes of the coneflowers, removing some of the distraction that the coneflowers are past their prime, if not totally brown. I like how it turned out.

To add some color, here is a bouquet of the vivid purple asters and the yellow goldenrod. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s chapter on Asters and Goldenrod in Braiding Sweetgrass made a big impression on me. As an incoming freshman in college, she explained to the advisor that “I chose botany because I wanted to learn about why asters and goldenrod looked so beautiful together.” He was very dismissive of course, telling her that is not science. But she persisted in her botany studies and opened up whole new realms of understanding. I think of that story every time I see asters and goldenrod (usually together).