Nigella damascena is another self-sowing annual that I have in abundance, and in great variety, in my garden this year. I sowed seeds in early spring over a year ago, and left the plants over the winter to drop their seeds. This spring they've sprouted like mad.
I don't remember having this many different colors last year. I wonder if they are as promiscuous as columbine?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNnIIVp_xBxajAmu7pdjzjp0uX1XQtdiZT5puQqRRVmWtA7Ko4dflf35NzL0nNb0EwVsFU7BmEHliMm2cHe8_AjyQylDd-H2lGvNuzyXS7JeSE25Q7Y1r_WCvPa9rWUVPYXvL0JsaMLrd/s640/DSC_1591.JPG) |
This light blue is most common |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcmpajyxYcWxV76TXQ-toVQPeAQ9-LjhYrI6jkOoeAuY3Ke02ZPpUA-ckgs5gB8LTeTHRmCB5tYQqPnCadf5zdvrnF4aIGmPmAr-xlqLQ9VxoF8sY3kHbH3SNGnlrzOQGxg6KWYObz2-m/s640/DSC_1707.jpg) |
There's also a very dark, midnight blue. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj19yhfhOEj_c8_te1MPjWmJK6_3TzpXs_dtYhzH1YllPh8fC6TPdgo7rdx1y743GGY0Q6Lr_rK8cYWkScn7ZAna63OFF6DQ2yTLLq3ISjgcH30UzSmesdzYHNe4b-TbTppQWZmHYNeLbt/s640/DSC_1718.JPG) |
There's a white one with a ring of blue in the center |
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And there's a pretty, very girly pink |
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This one has sowed itself into the gravel next to my Agave 'Blue Glow.' |
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They work well as companions to my self-sown California poppies. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU7_zW6jyWUMib7YlXEgiFK30v-WygTXW_89A_axT48mBI-oQo1963Glz93w49Qlt9l3XWWkdtoOIOZfw2XE6AkRi-s9ZXzuaxRUuTTOGhyoNHYfTPxailIO9A0DM2NJ6D_wVrUkLaD0/s640/DSC_1768-ANIMATION.gif) |
The bees love them too! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzzF5BhM6m0AU-AGWkAIKR3nxUtHV1xB0dHLRLwmRHtAf9W-0X78gVHGGUcczPIyQXpN9A-guM6Yu5N5rqU8_s9vYA9XbD_nTCjAIB6jIF6svXRepPmjVGybUlfM0NmUqp_1PhUc8Rt-S/s640/DSC_1702.JPG) |
The seedpods are great in flower arrangements, and when dry, they split open at the top and hundreds of tiny black seeds spill out. |
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They remind me of a jester wearing a tutu |
Nigella seeds are used in cooking, but those come from Nigella sativa. Some common names are Love-in-a-Mist, Devil-in-a-Bush, and Persian Jewels. I started growing them from seed many years ago, when I first started gardening. It amused me to have a plant with a name similar to my husband's, Nigel.
I grow Alyssum too, which is a bit like my own name, but they don't seem to come in so much variety. Hmmm...I wonder what the takeaway from that bit of info is.