Nigella ‘Persian Jewels Mixed’ (Nigella damascena)
Hardy annual
Known as ‘Love in a Mist’, the jewel-like flowers are followed by very interesting, inflated seed pods. Easy to grow in borders and for cutting.
Culinary note: Some parts of these flowers are edible. Seed kernels can be toasted.
Seeds from Johnsons Seeds
Sow indoors
Sow outdoors
Plant out
Flowers
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Full sun
Well-drained soil
28-61 cm (15 to 24″)
Up to 31cm (1′)
Sow thinly in rows 20cm apart in a prepared seed bed in flowering position. Cover lightly with fine soil, firm gently and keep moist. Seedlings appear after 14-28 days. Make 2-3 sowings for a longer flowering season. Late sowings flower the following year, protect late sowings with cloches in cld weather.
I grew these around the edge of a Buxus plant in 2021, along with Calendula. It was something of a tactical error as with them being tall and slender they need to be in a fairly fulsome clump to work. Also the calendula grew much taller than I expected. This year I will probably plant these in a container again, but leave the centre empty to add some interest in the summer. As we haven’t been able to prepare our border yet (GRAVEL!) some of the plants I need to seed now can’t go directly into the ground. I have some goliath poppies that will work well surrounded by these but they probably won’t grow this year so I may hold them back and pair them with the Nigella next year.