Love-in-a-Mist Magic

Santa Cruz Mountains

Magic, Miracle, or simply Mother Nature brings Nigella, or Love-in-a-Mist, back to the garden every spring. Very lucky years bring surprising hybrids.

The first year, I scattered some seeds I’d gathered from other places. The bees, the rain, and the sun do the rest, year after year.

My blue and white varieties appear to have cross-bred this year, resulting in a unique variegated flower I’d never have imagined.

Slowly the buds open, profuse and fresh in a landscape that is rapidly warming. Next month, dried pods will start re-seeding.

The fully-opened flower is bluer, but still variegated. I’ll replant the seeds in another location to prevent re-hybridizing…if Mother Nature agrees.

Seed pod is forming, as flower awaits fertilization, perhaps by a roaming spider. Once fertile, the plant drops its showy petals and focuses energy on making seeds for the next generation.