Another star

I've been waiting a long time for this Aster frikartii Monch to flower. It was a plant on my list so when I found it in a garden cetnre it had to be bought. I'd read it's the best aster but can't remember now who said that. It's planted with red Helenium which is quite a colourful combo but seems to work. I dug up the Helenium in the spring and divided one plant into about six (it was overdue for splitting) and tried to remove the bindweed that smothers it in summer. It didn't work (I discovered helenium and bindweed have v. similar looking roots), and the bindweed is back. Oh well.