13/09/2026
The Remarkable Aster Collection at The Picton Garden, Herefordshire
Nestled on the lower slopes of the Malvern Hills in Herefordshire is a very special garden and nursery – The Picton Garden and Old Court Nurseries. For anyone who loves autumn colour, it is a place that should be high on the list of gardens to visit.
The garden is home to the Plant Heritage National Plant Collection of autumn-flowering asters, with an astonishing more than 430 varieties of Michaelmas daisies. (Old Court Nurseries)
The history of the collection goes back to 1906, when Ernest Ballard founded Old Court Nurseries and began breeding Michaelmas daisies. The Picton family later continued this work, and during the 1980s Paul and Meriel Picton began rebuilding and expanding the collection. Their dedication helped preserve many old and unusual varieties that might otherwise have disappeared from cultivation. (Old Court Nurseries)
Today, the asters create an extraordinary display in the 1½-acre Picton Garden. From delicate pale pinks and soft lilacs to rich purples, blues and deeper shades, the sheer diversity of flower forms and plant shapes is remarkable. The asters are beautifully combined with other late-season perennials, shrubs and trees, creating borders that come alive with colour just as many other gardens are beginning to fade.
The collection is particularly spectacular from mid-September into early October, when the Michaelmas daisies reach their peak. The garden becomes a wonderful celebration of autumn, with hundreds of varieties flowering together and attracting bees and other flower-visiting insects. (RHS)
What makes a visit even more special is that the nursery is right beside the garden. Many of the asters growing in the National Collection are propagated and made available for gardeners to grow at home. It is therefore possible not only to admire these extraordinary plants but also to take a little piece of the collection home. (Old Court Nurseries)
The Picton Garden is a wonderful reminder that autumn can be every bit as beautiful as spring and summer. The combination of specialist knowledge, family history and an incredible living collection makes this corner of Herefordshire a truly memorable destination for plant lovers.
For anyone with an interest in asters, Michaelmas daisies or simply beautiful late-season gardens, The Picton Garden is a very special place – and its collection of more than 430 varieties is something quite extraordinary.
Thank you The Green Guide Sweden for inviting me to join you.
