Love-in-a-Mist Seeds — Nigella damascena Mixed

A Cottage Garden Classic That Sows Itself Year After Year

Few annuals capture the spirit of the cottage garden quite like Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena). Each flower is a work of art — intricate, jewel-like blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink and white, each one nestled in a delicate haze of finely cut feathery foliage that gives the plant its romantic common name. Easy to grow, generous with its flowers, and happy to self-seed and return year after year, Nigella is one of those plants that rewards you far beyond the effort you put in. Scatter the seeds, step back, and let the garden do the rest.

Why Gardeners Love It

• 🌸 Beautiful intricate flowers — jewel-like blooms in blue, purple, pink and white, each nestled in a haze of lacy feathery bracts
• ✂️ Excellent cut flower — both the flowers and the decorative seed pods are superb for fresh and dried arrangements
• 🌱 Easy to grow — direct sow where it is to flower; one of the simplest and most rewarding annuals for any garden
• 🌿 Self-seeds freely — once established, returns reliably year after year by self-seeding, naturalising beautifully through the border
• 🐝 Pollinator friendly — the flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects throughout summer
• 🎨 Mixed colours — a lovely blend of blue, purple, pink and white for a natural, relaxed cottage garden effect

Growing Tips for New Zealand

Nigella is best sown direct where it is to flower, as it dislikes root disturbance. Sow in autumn or early spring into prepared soil, scattering seeds thinly and raking in lightly. Thin seedlings to about 20cm apart. Nigella prefers a sunny position with well-drained soil and will flower from late spring through summer. Deadhead to prolong flowering, or leave the decorative seed pods to develop for cutting and drying — and to self-seed for next year. Once you have Nigella in your garden, you’ll rarely need to sow it again.

What's in the Packet

Each packet contains 30 seeds of Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena) in a mixed colour blend, with growing instructions included.