November Birth Flower: Chrysanthemum (gouache style)

The name chrysanthemum comes from the Greek for golden flower, though they're now grown in almost every colour. They're members of the daisy family and flower as the days shorten, which is why they bloom in autumn. They've been cultivated for centuries, with a long history in China and Japan, where the flower is an imperial emblem. Show growers sort them by flower shape, from simple singles and neat pompons to incurved globes and spidery forms.

Hardy border chrysanthemums are planted in spring in sun and well-drained soil. Pinch out the shoot tips in late spring and they'll branch into fuller, bushier plants. Leave the old stems over winter for protection, then cut them back in spring. Less hardy kinds are often lifted after flowering, and the roots, called stools, are kept frost-free over winter to provide cuttings in spring. Late-flowering types are grown in pots and moved under glass in autumn to protect the blooms.

Large chrysanthemums in bronze, rust and plum fill this picture, set against a muted lilac-grey ground. Those are the colours of late autumn, when the leaves have turned. The cool, quiet background lets the heavy blooms stand out, much as hardy chrysanthemums carry colour into November when little else is in flower.