Nigella Damascena Love-in-a-Mist Summer Flower Plant
LOVE-IN-A-MIST
The flowers appear above a whorl of greenery branching like coral. The “love” in the name is a flower just a few centimetres (an inch or so) wide. It may be white, pink, red, blue, or something in between. Even the wild species from southern Europe and North Africa sometimes bear flowers in one color, and sometimes in another. The annual plant grows about 12-20 in tall. Sadly, they flower but briefly - just four weeks or so. Fortunately, however, we do not have to part with them then, because decorative inflated seed pods appear in their stead. Cut them off as soon as they are fully developed, and hang them up to dry upside down. They will provide a delightful memento of the summer later on.
If, however, you want to see flowers over a longer period, sow at intervals of about a month. The plants like sun, but do not have any further requirements. It is best to sow directly in the garden between March and June, or in the pot where they are to flower, because they dislike having their roots disturbed. Unfortunately, there are also some very ugly specimens on the market. One example of a real hobgoblin is Nigella damascena ‘Baby Blue,’ in which the lovely airy look of the species has been replaced by a plug of greenery barely 6 in high, with tiny flowers and inflated seed pods like little horned devils. It is suitable for pots -but one to avoid, I think. Consider instead Nigella damascena ‘Cambridge Blue,’ a slender plant which may grow to 3 ft tall, with sky-blue semi-double flowers, a real treasure for mixed borders and bouquets, and also for drying.
Nigella damascena ‘Miss Jekyll Rose’ is a variety from the Miss Jekyll Series, with deep-red flowers. The plants grow to about 20 in in height, and were developed specially for the cut-flower and dried-flower trade. The stems are consequently straight, and perhaps too stiff for a natural border. Even so, they are good for filling a bare patch. The flowers are semi-double, and - depending on the strain -white, violet-blue, sky-blue (this is the original Nigella damascena ‘Miss Jekyll’), or pink to red. They have splendid inflated seed pods.
