The featured flower in all of this month’s photos is called “Love-in-a-Mist.” The botanical name, in Latin, is nigella damascene, which translates into English as “The Romantic.”
Originally native to rocky areas of North Africa and southern Europe, it flourishes here in Northern California. It’s an annual that’s easy to start by simply sowing seeds directly into the soil in the springtime.
The plant will bloom in about two to three weeks in subtle shades of white, blue, pink, and purple. And if you can resist the urge to harvest them for flower arrangements, you’ll get unique seed pods when summer brings higher temperatures.
Love-in-a-Mist grows upright to heights of one to two feet, and there are more than 15 seed varieties available.
Love-in-a-Mist also reseeds itself – prolifically! Just one packet of seeds gives you an abundance of flowers for many years. Or you can use the seed pods instead.
If you choose to plant new flowers on your own, harvest the seed pods while they remain firm and before they split open. Hang them upside down in a cool, dark place. Then, in the spring, sow them about 1/8-inch deep in a spot that gets full-to-part sun, and keep the soil moist until sprouts appear in about two to three weeks. After “Love-in-a-Mist” begins to grow, it needs only average to little water. In fact, veteran gardeners say that besides being a trouble-free plant that actually appreciates a little neglect, it also attracts honeybees!
We hope you enjoy seeing just one flower featured this month. “Love-in-a-Mist” would appear to be the perfect flower for that. Maybe the next article will feature several succulent plants.
