Nigella is a sparse pretty plant with interesting pods. They will self-sow over many years. There is a white flower out there with a chocolate center which I use in containers. One of my favorites.

Also, I find that it is a spring plant for me. It seems to be done by the time the heat kicks in.

Lisa

Lisa,
When do you plant your seeds? Could I plant them in February?

Sure, you could direct sow them now, or winter sow them if you prefer. They work really well with the WS technique.

Lisa

Zone 8, seeding is probably too late. Mine have germinated and are all actively growing now.
In November I seed:
poppies
larkspur
annual candytuft
batchelor buttons
and any other early spring blooming annual.
I do winter sow all their replacement plants like zinnias, gomphrena, melapodium etc. that fill in once the early flowering plants are done.

nigellas (both blue and the yellow orientalis)
They will start to bloom the first or 2nd week of March here. If you winter sow them you won't have time to put them in the ground before they will want to bloom...

I find it reseeds prolifically and becomes almost weedlike -we're in midsummer now here in Aust, with some very hot weather and hardly any rain, yet many of the plants I cut back in late spring, after the first flush, now have new growth and flowers coming back.

I cut them back earlier as, whilst they are very pretty, the tall stems flop over and get messy and squash their neighbours, once they die back.

This year, so many have come up that I'm actually pulling them out before they get the chance to drop their seeds again - or I'll have a case of - would you like some other plants in your love in the mist garden?!

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I guess I will wait until next fall and see if I can have some in the following spring.

faye

Faye, if you are really anxious about growing this particular flower, you could always go ahead and either throw some seeds on the ground now, or winter sow some in a jug but hold back some of the seeds for fall planting. I wouldn't delay though, I'd get some out ASAP.

I trust GGG's advice very much and she's probably right that it is too late but so many variables can figure into the equation for success or failure. I am considered in zone 8 but my nigella doesn't start blooming until mid to late April. Gardening is a big experiment in my book. All you have to lose is a half pack of seeds right?

Oh and yes, they are very easy to grow. Once you have them you will HAVE THEM! They are almost weedy but when they bloom you tend to forgive them.

Michelle

Thanks Michelle, I will give it a try. Like you said what do I have to lose. I have found that plants like to surprise you.

faye

This is such a charming flower, and the seed heads are so fun! I put a packet of seeds out a few years back, and it comes back just fine and dandy each year gently surprising me. Worth having...

to see recent pics of our front back gardens and the children's secret garden, ck out my Picture Trail:

careytearose

Here is a link that might be useful: look at Landscaping Projects 2007, Favourite ROSES We Grow albums