Day 17 of Advent Calendar: Nigella Blue

Just the BEST flower variety to grow in borders if you're new to gardening. Nigella is fool-proof. You can simply sow on well prepared soil in late Spring for a gorgeous display of blooms that look pretty, but also are brilliant for pollinators and cutting!

They have lovely feathery foliage and when the flowers go to seed, the seed pod is just as fabulous as the flowers. It is also known as 'Love in a Mist' because of the profusion of blooms. This a cottage garden classic!

You can also direct sow in autumn for flowers the following year and they're quite tough so can withstand colder temps. You can also sow under cover in autumn for flowers the following year. Some growers also start them off under cover in early Spring and plant out in late spring for flowers all summer long. You could try a few different methods to see what works best for you!

These also self seed easily and come back year after year, so a lovely investment into a cottage garden.