The much-loved, blue Forget-me-nots or Mouse Ears, known botanically as Myosotis have the ability to stimulate nostalgic memories. For some gardeners they may recall the frolicking, carefree times amid the dainty drifts of Forget-me-nots scattered around a childhood friend's rambling cottage garden.
Forget-me-nots are a wonderful ground cover for a shady area, although they will also grow in full sun. They are easy to grow and if left alone, will create a lovely blue blanket of flowers as they reseed and multiply, eventually covering large areas. The blooms last a considerable time, fading slightly with age.
Sowing: Sow in late spring to early summer
Directly seed Forget-Me-Nots into your flower garden after all danger of frost. For earlier blooms, they can be started in pots indoors a few weeks before the last frost in your area and transplanted outdoors once all danger of frost has passed. Plant 2mm (1/8in) deep in good quality compost or rich to average garden soil.
Germination takes 10 to 30 days. Prick out in stages, final spacing should be around 25cm (10in) apart. They will tolerate crowding but will self seed more successfully if given plenty of space.
Provide additional water if necessary until the plants are established and are about 30cm (10in) tall.
Cultivation:
Allow it to self-sow naturally to create a larger area of flowers next year or pull up plants after they have finished flowering to keep the population under control.