Yesterday after work, I stopped at the garden center to buy grass seed.  I went home, mowed, spread the seed and watered.

As a reward, I also bought this:

Aster divaricatus, 'Eastern Star'

It's a white wood aster that blooms in the fall.  I've planted it under a tree in the backyard, in the same spot where I've killed two hellebores.  This plant is much larger, so hopefully it will fare better against the stray cat and the ducks who regularly tromp around that area.

Hello, beautiful.  You had me at "fall-blooming, shady site, tolerates clay."