Quick Guide: spring, hardy, semi-shade, height: 30cm/12in, width: 15cm/6in
This biennial member of the forget-me-not family bears sprays of tiny, fragrant blue flowers that provide drifts of colour in the border. They can be naturalized in woodland or raised under glass for cut flowers.
PROPAGATION Sow seed outdooors in a seed bed in late spring; thin the seedlings to 15cm/6in when they are large enough to handle. Transfer to the growing site in early autumn for flowering the following spring. Plants grown under glass should be transferred to 7.5cm/ 3in pots of compost. They need no winter heat and should flower up to 6 weeks earlier than those outdoors.
GROWING Forget-me-nots are not fussy plants, but do best in semi-shade in moisture-retentive soil that has been previously enriched with well-rotted compost or leaf mould.
VARIETIES `Blue Bird', deep blue flowers; hybrids with M. alpestris include `Carmine King', deep pink, `Marine', clear blue and `White Ball'.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS Plants may die in soil that becomes waterlogged in winter.
