It's early November, and I have the bittersweet task of putting the garden to bed. The recent cool temperatures and frosts have sent my colorful annuals, tender perennials, and most of my vegetable garden to the compost pile. It seems contrary to the end of the growing season all around me that I find such delight in the chrysanthemum, a plant that is still blooming and covered in pollinators.

Perhaps because it is the birth flower of November, symbolizing fun, generosity, and friendliness. Maybe it is because the flowers come in single, double, spider, or mini pompom shapes and in a rainbow of colors. Or perhaps it is due to the deep cultural significance these blossoms hold in countries around the world.

Chrysanthemums, or simply "mums," are late-season garden stars. Mums have been cultivated as far back as 1,500 years in China, holding a place of honor as one of the Four Nobles alongside plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboo. All are frequently found in traditional Chinese ink paintings.

The blossom also is venerated in Japan, having arrived at its shores in the eighth century. By the early 20th century, because such an enormous diversity of varieties was grown, the chrysanthemum was named the national flower of Japan. If any readers are traveling to New York City this month, check out the incredible Kiku show honoring the tradition, techniques, and modern interpretations of the Japanese chrysanthemum at New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

Such plants were introduced first to Europe, then the United States, resulting in a wave of hybridization, particularly in England in the 19th century, that produced a stupendous variety of shapes and colors. The 1811 catalog of the historic Prince Nursery in Flushing, N.Y., listed 40 varieties of chrysanthemums. Two years later, chrysanthemums were first exhibited at the Massachusetts Horticulture Society. Perhaps the most significant American contribution to this story arrives in 1930s Connecticut, where Bristol nurseryman Alex Cummings hybridized the first Korean mums. His goal was to breed cold-hardy selections for New England gardens. Thanks to his diligent work, New England gardeners can enjoy spectacular daisy-like flowers that come in a wide range of colors, from pale yellow and dusty pink to burnt orange and fiery red.

Back at home, I am especially enjoying the cultivar Sheffield Pink, which produces clouds of 3-inch daisy-like blossoms of shell pink starting in mid-to-late October. Unlike the misleadingly labeled hardy mums that appear in August and September in garden centers and supermarkets, Korean chrysanthemums are hardy in New England down to Zone 4 (thank you Alex Cummings!) The flowers sold as hardy mums do bring seasonal cheer and bursts of color along with pumpkins, gourds, and hay bales to the late-season garden, yet sadly, they cannot reliably survive the cold winters here and are best recycled in the compost pile once the blossoms have faded. Treat them more like an annual, but seek out other excellent perennial Korean chrysanthemum selections, like the Venus with its light lavender blooms or Red October, which has red petals and a yellow center. Mei-Kyo produces rose-colored flowers that emerge from a more compact habit, growing 24 to 36 inches tall. The more familiar Montauk Daisy -- native to coastal Japan -- sports white flowers and is the first of this group to bloom beginning in September.

All Korean chrysanthemums will respond to a mid-summer pinching or shearing of buds, encouraging a denser and more compact habit. The plants can naturally reach up to 4 feet with flower stalks come October, so pinch back only if you don't have the space for a tall plant. The sheer volume of blooms sometimes leads the stems to flop over, which is yet another good reason to pinch or sheer in mid-summer. The dark green, lacy foliage arises from dense roots and quietly grows throughout the season, unobtrusively bidding its time to burst forth into bloom when all others have finished their display for the season.

Chrysanthemums tend to have few disease or insect concerns as the flowers contain a powerful insecticide known as pyrethrin. But don't worry; the pollen and nectar are safe for all pollinators. Culturally, they are not fussy and grow well in full to partial sun with well-drained soils. Add some chrysanthemums to your garden and keep the rich history of this incredible flower alive and well.