Melinda Myers

Love in a Mist

Botanical Name

Nigella damascena

Height

18 to 24 inches

Width

18 inches wide

Flowers

Summer: blue, white, pink, rose, purple; followed by showy seedheads

Light

Full sun

Soil

Moist, well-drained

Planting & Care

• Sow seeds directly in the garden, ¹/₈ inch deep, as soon as the ground can be worked in spring
• In cool summer climates, additional sowings can be done every 3-4 weeks until mid summer
• Start seeds indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date
• Since plants dislike transplanting, sow in individual peat pots when starting indoors and carefully plant out in the garden
• Deadheading will prolong bloom, but sacrifices the development of attractive seed pods
• Readily self-sows in the garden

Problems

None serious

Varieties

• Miss Jekyll - soft blue, semi-double flowers
• Miss Jekyll Alba - pure white semi-double flowers
• Persian Jewels series - white, light blue, lavender, mauve, purple and rose double flowers
• Mulberry Rose - deep pink
• Oxford Blue - deep blue flowers with dark seed pods, taller variety