ANNUALS > NIGELLA

IN THIS GUIDE

NIGELLA GUIDES

close up of blue love-in-the-mist flower

Sowing

This article is for all you hopeless romantics out there .

Nigella , also known as erotic love - in - a - mist is a wizard , quondam - fashioned annual .

a solitary blue Love in a mist flower with dark background

It produces stunning , sole flower which are encased in delicate , feathery bracts which give the picture of the flower being surrounded by mist .

Love - in - a - mist salad days in colour of downhearted , pinkish , lavender and white and can bring a tangible sense of magic to your garden .

“ I have many flower and plants that I screw to photograph , but one of my favourites has to beNigella damascenabecause they are so structural , ” share Molly Hollman , an accolade - winning lensman .

seed pods of love-in-a-mist shown against the backdrop of a large country estate garden

Growing to a pinnacle of 15 - 24 in and , if there is place , up to a foot in width , this pretty plant life isperfect for pots and containersas well asmixed bordersand gaps .

With its strange and unique show , feathery foliation and fascinating flower , love - in - a - mist can really provide grain , structure and interest to your garden , make it a firm favourite among gardener .

Overview

PreferredFull Sun

ExposureSheltered

Height0.1 – 0.5 M

miss jekyll nigella flower in focus

Spread0.1 – 0.5 mebibyte

Bloom TimeJune – August

PreferredChalk , Loam , guts

white ‘Miss Jekyll alba’ nigella flowers on a background of green foliage

MoistureWell drain

pHNeutral / Alkaline

Nigella ‘ love - in - a - mist ’ is an erect growing , annual garden unfolding works that has a foresightful season of interest .

Blue Midget variety of nigella plant

It is very easy to grow from seed and in the cooler months produces stunning flowers to geld .

If you are able to resist cutting the flush then come summer , you will be honor with kooky seed pods .

belong to to the buttercup family , love - in - a - mist is aboriginal to Southern Europe , Northern Africa and the South - West of Asia.1S. ( n.d.-f).Love - in - a - Mist , Nigella damascena . Wisconsin Horticulture . Retrieved March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/love-in-a-mist-nigella-damascena/

white unusual flowers of Nigella damascena ‘Persian Jewels’

The flowers usually blossom from other summertime but can bloom in fountain and fall too , and the plant self - seminal fluid and grow in the same spot year after year .

Love - in - a - mist is say to act concordance and love with the flower stand for the bonds that bind people together .

The seeds of nigella are frequently used in cooking ; they are unremarkably dried and can be found in baked trade good , muddle , and can also be used as a substitute for white pepper .

black love-in-a-mist seeds on the surface of a potting bench

This effortlessly beautiful plant thrives well in full Lord’s Day to partial shade and prefers moist , well - drained soil .

Why Grow Nigella?

With their quirky and unequaled beauty , it is toilsome to get a grounds not to love these gorgeous plants .

But if you are still not sold , here are a few more reasons to fall in making love with them :

Common Varieties

Now that you ’ve decided that your garden is plainly cry out for love - in - a - mist , then it ’s time to select the right one for your garden .

There are many varieties to choose from , so we ’ve break up out some of our favourites to help you get started .

This popular , upright , shaggy-coated variety boasts stunning , dark racy bloom which are then followed with cosmetic , balloon - influence seed pods which are a quirky improver for dried flower displays .

hand shown sowing seeds in a cardboard tray

Growing to a stature of 18 inches and 12 inches in width , this cultivar will is unfussy and will grow in any well - run out soil .

Plant ‘ Miss Jekyll Dark Blue ’ where it can receive full Sunday , and it will reward you with a fabulous display .

This species of love - in - a - mist is ideal for flower borders and bed , city and country courtyard , bungalow garden and pots and containers for patios and decking .

flowering nigella in a large outdoor circular pot

This fantabulous miscellanea is very like to the ‘ Miss Jekyll Dark Blue ’ but instead sports pretty ornate white flower and lustrous dark-green seed fuel pod .

These will thrive in all the same spots as the previous mintage ; however , they are particularly useful for brightening up sunny border .

‘ Miss Jekyll Alba ’ normally grow up to 20 column inch in acme and the same in breadth and is comfortable to care for , requires short pruning and is mostly problem - detached when it comes to pests and diseases .

Nigella damascena seed pods in focus

This variety bloom between July and September and will flourish in moist , well - drained grime , full sun and in a sheltered spot .

This dwarf nigella is a little shorter than other variety and only grow to around 10 inches in height , do it a splendid option for border .

It has beautiful sky - risque flowers and the same ferny , misty foliage as other members of the love life - in - a - mist household .

magnified view of nigella flower with light blue and white petals

‘ Blue Midget ’ nigella prefer moist , well - drained filth and full sun although they will tolerate partial shadowiness .

you may either sow your seed between March and May , or in autumn , and they will bloom the following year .

you’re able to cut flowers on a regular basis to encourage growing and prolong the flowering window .

You will also need to deadhead them if you do not wish them to reseed .

This character of beloved - in - a - mist produces a gorgeous mare’s nest of flush colours in refinement of blue , purple , pink and blanched .

‘ Persian Jewels ’ arise from 12 - 18 inches in pinnacle and are arrant for bedding .

They also make exquisite thinned flowers and look simply stunning in a vase .

The source of this variety have a solid olfactory property and naughty taste and can be used to great effect in cooking and baking , adding a burst of flavour to bread , cakes and curries .

You should implant nigella in moist , well - drained territory and full sun and will flower from June to August .

How To Grow Nigella

Now that you have your heart set on planting nigellas and have chosen the thoroughgoing ones for your garden , it ’s time to get started .

Thankfully these pretty plant life are straightforward to grow and like for and are very low maintenance , and we ’ve put together everything you necessitate to know to get it right the first clip .

Planting

Love - in - a - mist does not do well being transplanted , so originate from seed is the best mode to go .

you’re able to sow seeds from former spring and all through summertime for same twelvemonth flowering , or in fall so they will flower the following yr .

sow seed is unsubdivided , just scatter them in your opt spot and softly rake them in .

Do n’t worry about covering them with soil but do see they are pressed in slightly and kept nice and moist .

For the best event , prefer a gay , sheltered location .

Love - in - a - mist is a short - live on plant , but you’re able to keep the flower going by continuing to sow every four calendar week or so .

The bonus of them being dead - lived means they incline to stay trouble - free as pests and diseases do n’t have prison term to take hold .

Love - in - a - mist makes a arresting addition to commode and containers .

you’re able to give them the best shot by sowing them inside and keeping them indoors for around six weeks .

you’re able to then commit the pot or container outside in a gay , sheltered stain .

As antecedently mention , these industrial plant do not digest being transplanted well , so ensure you plant them in a slew or container with tolerable blank space so you may avert repotting .

sexual love - in - a - mist is remarkably unfussy but will thrive best in fecund , nutrient - rich land , and while the soil needs to be moist , they do n’t delight sit in wet ground .

This gutsy plant will also tolerate drying agent conditions and other types of filth including gravelly types , clay and stiff - loam .

Plant Care

During dry periods we recommend watering your nigella at least a duo of times a week , always check the moisture of the soil and then pee accordingly .

If you need you could add a cosmopolitan - purpose fertiliser when you sow your seeds and then fecundate again around a month later .

If you want to keep your flora flowering longer , you’re able to deadhead or snub the blossom .

That say , this will mean you will give the way-out seed pods which will also mean the plants wo n’t ego - seed – meaning you will have to sow a fresh batch the following yr .

Common Problems

This fabulous efflorescence yearbook rarely suffer from pests and diseases .

That state , whiteflies , thripid and other unwashed pests may bump their way in .

If this occurs , simply spray the plant down with a hosiery and this will wash out the pestilence forth without damaging any peak .

As you may see , this gorgeous plant is one of a form .

It ’s gentle to grow and soft to care for , making it easy to see why this works has been popular for so many days .

It ’ll summate so much colour , texture and interest to your garden .

Be sure to research your choose miscellanea to give them the undecomposed start and they will pay back you with their exquisite aesthetic year after year .

References