Forget-me-not. Myosotis
Comments(18)
Forget-me-nots really come into their own when they self seed. They just don’t seem to work when they are sown and transplanted. They need to find their own place and more often than not appear beside a perfect companion and astonish me.
If you don’t have any, scatter some seed around your garden and they should grow. Within a couple of years they will surprise you.
They are part of large Boraginaceae family. This includes Pulminaria, Borage, Helitorope and Comfrey to name just a few. Most of this family share the same attribute – hairy leaves. These are not obvious but when you are next in the garden with a moment to spare, take a look.
Forget-me-nots are at their best in the spring but they will self seed and there will be a second flush during the summer months. They are happy in both sunny and shadier borders and easy to pluck out if they are invading a special space, earmarked for something else. They can look stunning in a vase. When the spring ones get a bit old and scraggy rip them out and give them a good shake over the border to broadcast their seeds.
They pop up all over our garden. I spotted that they had started to drift into the raspberry patch this afternoon. A gentle reminder to mark the early summer flowering canes immediately so I can sort out the mixed patch later in the year. We now have ribbons on the canes below the rounded buds.
I always welcome the forget-me-nots. The frothy drifts of small blue flowers are stunning and remind me of summers past. They also prompt me to stop, look and enjoy the moment. And that’s what gardening is all about, enjoying the moment whilst creating a future.
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Forget-me-nots are like patches of summer sky – waht a cheery start to the day.
You’re absolutely right that they are best left to plant themselves. I then ‘edit’ the planting so they are in ‘designed’ areas (my under-gardeners love helping with this!!!)
Goldfinches love to feed on Forget-me-not seeds – another good reason to leave things as nature intended.
Do you have Water Forget-me-not in your pond? It’s the newts very favourite leaf to wrap their eggs in!
Celia
They are very beautiful.
One year, when I was still living in East Lancashire, I had the most beautiful self-seeded forget-me-nots growing under my favourite peony plant. It was the most amazing sight but I should have been more diligent in assisting the self-seeding as it never happened again.
My forget-me-nots are looking good, it amazes me where they pop up in the garden,well away from their original spot, but I think my little flock of sparrows are the seed sowers- they just love them too!
I love forget-me-nots. We had them all through out garden when I was a child (well, 10-15yo!). Besides the blue, we also had stacks of white forget-me-nots and some (beautiful!) pink ones as well. I love them!!
Hi Magic Cochin
I love the idea of ‘editing’ them!
I didn’t know that goldfinches like eating their seeds.
I haven’t heard of Water Forget-me-not – I must try and find some for the newt pond.
Hi Amanda
They are pretty and such a dreamy, romantic flower.
Hi Kate(uk)
Sparrows like them too. I must take a closer look when they go to seed.
Hi Kathy
I remember seeing forget-me-nots when I was a child and loving them too.
Sometimes I find pink and blue flowers on the same plant. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a white forget-me-not.
Found what I needed – mine bit scraggy didn’t know what to do. SO off I go and give them a shake for later in the year. Thank you
Hi Patreesa
I’ve just been doing the same!
I’ve just bought a packet of forge me nots. Is it too late to sow them for flowering this year? The packet says to sow them now and transplant them later in the year for flowering next year. I was hoping to see them flower this year!
Hi Katherine
If you plant them now they should flower towards the end of the summer if you live in the UK. Our first flush or forget me nots are just coming into flower now. When they have finished flowering in a few months time I shake the seed into the borders and we get a second flush of plants in the autumn. If you plant them now you should get some flowering plants by late summer if not before.
I was wondering about the transplanting – a friend gave me a couple buckets of them because they were running rampant in his garden. I just put them in and the first day they looked great but after a couple days they’ve just keeled over. Should I cut them all way down and just hope for better luck next year?
Thanks!
Hi Kristine
You need to puddle them in when you plant them. This means digging a hole – filling it with water, allowing this to drain away before toping up the water again and planting the plants.
If by any chance the plants do die leave them in situ as the seeds will naturally spread around your garden and you should have self seeded forget me nots next year.
I have just arrived at this site through googling “goldfinch forget-me-nots”. I have a flock of upwards of 20 goldfinches which feed on the sunflower hearts and niger seed which I put out all year round. Today the whole flock suddenly descended on my, by now, very scraggy looking forget-me-nots. I have never seen this before although the forget-me-nots have always spread around my small garden. The only problem is the plants are right next to the hiding place for next doors cat. Will have to be extra vigilant!
I wonder whether my gardening husband usually pulls the plants up before they get to this stage?
Maz
Hi Maz
Lucky, lucky you.
I’m working for some avid birdwatchers ATM and they (and I) were thrilled to see that they have just a pair of goldfinch feasting on their Niger seed.
The thought of 20 birds makes me feel almost faint
.
I think that your husband might do this. Especially if he is planting something else for the summer.
Handcuff him next May!
I am going to shake a few plants around when he’s not looking!
The Goldfinches in the feeders where you are working will probably gradually increase. I have been feeding mine for around 10 years now and the flock has grown in number. They brought two youngsters yesterday. They are so noisy and so adorable when they flutter their wings. The adults are steadfastly ignoring the forget-me-nots today concentrating on the niger seed and sunflower hearts! Goldfinch equivalent of KFC I expect!
Hi Maz
Good idea! Thanks for the advice on Goldfinches – I’ll pass it on.
I live on a narrow boat and was given some forget me not seeds at a recent wedding.(June)
I have planted them in a large pot and there are now very good looking leaves but will they survive being in a potand will they flower?
Hi Kate
They don’t mind being in a pot. They may flower if we have an Indian summer. It’s hard to tell.