Nigella garidella Blue Stars - Love-in-a-mist Seeds

This Love-in-a-mist, named Nigella bucharica Blue Stars, is quite different from the usual species. This annual comes to us from ancient Persia. It is an annual variety with a low, compact and branched habit that displays all summer long, small flowers with lavender-blue petals, arranged in a star shape around a crown of upright central stamens that are blue with a white base. All of which is placed above a fine, feathery foliage. The flowers turn into original fruits: oval, papery capsules, embellished with very fine 'hair'. This plant is easy to grow in rock gardens or in sunny flower beds. Sow without fear of disturbing neighbouring plants.

Much less well known than Nigella damascena, Nigella bucharica or Nigella garidella originates from Central Asia, particularly from the hot and dry regions of the mountains around Boukhara, located in the centre of Uzbekistan of the Russian Turkestan. Nigella bucharica is a hardy annual plant of the buttercup family (Renonculaceae). It is sometimes called 'Emir of Buchara' or Asian nigella. The 'Blue Stars' variety is an improved version of this botanical species, whose delicacy and wild charm it has kept.

It is a pubescent annual, forming small, branching, 30 cm clumps, covered with foliage reminiscent of fennel's leaves. The linear, lanceolate basal leaves are 2 to 4 mm long, whilst the leaves on the stem are palmate, very deeply cut and are composed of linear segments. The lavender-blue, oblong sepals are 12 to 14 mm long and are arranged in a star shape around a crown of upright blue and white stamens. They are solitary, borne on remarkably strong, slender stems. Flowering takes place from July to September, and is very nectar-rich and melliferous. The flowers are followed by the production of curious, oval small fruits equipped with a collar of "hair".

This other Nigella, so aptly named 'Blue Stars', is a rare plant, yet one of the easiest to grow in all free-draining soils. It is perfect everywhere: in natural gardens, rock gardens, perennial beds, where it contrasts beautifully with coarse textured plants. It goes well with shrub roses. Love-in-a-mist colonizes open spaces in record time and can quickly create a colourful, country setting with Lady phacelia, Honeywort, sainfoins, Californian poppies, perennial flax, rosemary or wild chicory. Nigella 'Blue Stars' combined with other blue or pink flowers, can be used to create exquisite bouquets,