Plant Description

Myosotis sylvatica

Drifts of forget-me-nots in the former garden of Pamela and the late Harry Fowell in Sydney

A very familiar annual for many people, forget-me-nots (ht 30cm) with their tiny, pale blue eyes of bloom are irresistible when they first open in spring. I love to see swathes of these growing in dreamy drifts beneath trees and shrubs - though by the end of the season, I am equally glad to see the end of them. They become quite straggly after a while and their seedpods stick to clothes and animals in their determination to spread themselves around the garden. They can become a menace so it is best to pull out the plants before they set seed, or else ruthlessly pull out most of the self-seedlings when they appear! There is an unusual white form that does quite well in Sydney, and even more rarely, a pink version. There are some named cultivars which promise to be more compact than the original species, but I have never tried them.

Forget-me-nots will grow in very ordinary soil and grow quite well in part shade. They are attractive grown with spring bulbs, such as snowflakes and bluebells, forming a hazy background. The plant originated in Europe. The Greek-derived name alludes to the apparent resemblance of the foliage to the ears of a mouse!

 

Myosotis sylvatica
Suitable for Cut Flowers.
Flowers from August to October.
Plant Family: Boraginaceae

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