Back with a bang

THE fashion pendulum swings as keenly in the plant world as it does in fashion and hardy garden chrysanthemums—a completely different beast to those gaudy garage-forecourt sprays—are having a revival of fortunes. This is partly driven by changes in the climate. With recent autumns seeming to stretch on forever, the demand for late colour is increasingly important. Cut-flower farms have also latched onto the subtle charms of what is the longest-lasting late-autumn bloom for a vase.

Hardy chrysanthemums form pompoms, some are double and others are elegant, pollinator-friendly singles. All wear an informal air and shine in the crystal-clear autumnal light before lingering into November.

Although chrysanthemums have an ancient history in China and Japan, they did not arrive in Britain until 1789, when