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Nigella

Nigella

Nigella damascena

Nigella, also known as ‘Love-in-a-Mist’, is a classic summer flower that brings charm and delicacy to any garden. Its finely-cut, fennel-like foliage creates a misty backdrop for the crisp, white-to-blue star-like flowers. As the blooms fade, they are replaced by striking balloon-like seed pods that are both ornamental and useful for crafting and dried bouquets. This hardy annual is easy to grow, self-seeds readily, and provides a whimsical, old-fashioned elegance to beds, borders, and cottage gardens.

Where Can You Grow Nigella?
Nigella thrives in Zones 3-9 and prefers full sun and light, well-drained soil. It is particularly well-suited to cottage gardens, meadow plantings, and wildflower borders. Once established, it naturalises easily and will return year after year through self-seeding.

History and Historical Uses
Native to southern Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia, Nigella has been cultivated for centuries as an ornamental plant. It was especially popular in Victorian gardens for its soft texture, dainty flowers, and unusual seed pods. Though not commonly used for culinary purposes, its cousin Nigella sativa produces edible seeds, sometimes confused with black cumin.

Canadian Zone Information
Zones 8-9: Direct sow in early spring or autumn for blooms the following season.
Zones 5-7: Sow directly in spring after frost or start indoors 4 weeks earlier.
Zones 3-4: Start seeds indoors and transplant after last frost date.

How to Grow and Harvest Nigella
Planting: Sow seeds 3mm (1/8in) deep, spaced 10-15cm (4-6in) apart.
Watering: Water lightly but consistently; avoid waterlogged soil.
Harvesting: Cut blooms for fresh or dried arrangements just before fully open.
Maintenance: Leave some plants to go to seed for natural reseeding.

Seed Saving Tips for Future Supply
Let Pods Mature: Leave some flowers to form seed pods and dry on the plant.
Harvest Seeds: Collect pods when brown and crisp, then break open.
Dry and Store: Fully dry seeds and store in a cool, dry place.
Store: Properly stored seeds will remain viable for up to 4 years.

Certified Organic By
Islands Organics Producers Association (Cert#1962)

$4.76 CAD
In Stock

≈ 88 seeds | 1g (0.04oz)

Growing Information
Common Name Nigella
Scientific Name Nigella damascena
Seed Count 88
Metric Weight 1 g
Imperial Weight 0.04 oz
Height 0.4-0.6m (16-24in)
Spread 0.2-0.3m (8-12in)
Canadian Zone Information 3-9
Growing Difficulty Easy
Product Reviews
Have a Question?

We (a small farm) ship every week, on Wednesday!

Pick up available from our farm stand 542 Wootton Road, Metchosin

100% Canadian Grown in Metchosin, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.

Processed-By-Hand

Certified Organic

Open Pollinated

Non-GMO

Frequently asked questions

Do you do sell at the farm?

No.

We do have a farmstand that is open during the season: March/April through to June/July

Will my order have tracking?

Maybe.

We ship all seed packages using Letter Mail through Canada Post.

However, if you order any Sprays, Bouquets, Root Stock, or Tubers; we automatically add protected shipping in a prepaid Canada Post box. These have a tracking number.

How much does shipping cost?

Save $20 when you spend $200

All our Shipping has a handling fee.

Shipping starts at $6 and increases incrementally for seed packages only.

If you purchase Sprays, Bouquets, Root Stock, or Tubers; Shipping will increase by $18 and go up incrementally.

We charge shipping rates that are fair to our customers and allow us to operate as a small farm.

What is your Customer Satisfaction policy?

We guarantee germination up to 75% on all our seeds in proper conditions.

That means we will replace them.

We make no guarantees on our Forager Pet products, other than that they are safe for the animals listed. But do reach out if your pet isn't happy.

Mistakes happen and can be fixed. So missing items, wrong items, or even damaged items can be replaced.

We will always work with you to find an appropriate solution.

Customer Satisfaction Policy

How long does shipping take?

Letter Mail can take up to 5-6 weeks.

Parcels can take up to 1-2 weeks.

We ship Wednesdays which can also lead to delays.

Are all your products 100% Canadian?

Yes. All our products are grown in Metchosin BC or foraged from surrounding forests.

What is your refund policy?

We are a resolution first small business. That means we would love for you to be happy with our products.

However, if you want to return or refund, this can be done.

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