For a shorty, Eastern Showy Aster makes a bold statement in the garden.  Topping out at just under a foot, this pollinator favorite features oversized purple blooms with yellow centers that bloom from late summer through mid fall.
 
     While clump-forming, Eastern Showy Aster likes to colonize but is not aggressive.  It makes a great garden plant, especially toward the front of the garden, and goes well with some of the grasses, like Little Bluestem, and other flowers including Sweet-scented Goldenrod.