Fields of forget-me-nots

While travelling in Brass Hill, Shelburne County recently I spotted an older home with forget-me-nots blanketing the front lawn. Their soft, sky-blue colour is something I’ve been encouraging to spread on my own property.

The story behind this dainty biennial, one that’s long been associated with romance sounds like something out of Monty Python.

Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armour he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not".

The flowers are traditionally worn by Newfoundlanders on July 1st in remembrance of those Newfoundlanders who died during the First World War.

Another group that has adopted forget-me-nots as their symbol is the Alzheimer Society of Canada. I think that’s another reason why the flower means so much to me, having lost a grandmother to the disease.

You can grow this flower easily from seed, or if you know someone that already has a colony of them growing, ask to visit a few weeks after the blooms have finished. Snip the branches hanging with seedpods, tuck them in an envelope and then shake them over areas where you want them to grow.

Forget-me-nots thrive in shady, moist areas and are excellent combined with spring bulbs, especially tulips. They give the appearance of a cloud of blue surrounding these blooms.

Two other great self-seeders I have multiplying on the property at the moment are musk mallow (Malva moschata) and johnny-jump-ups (Viola tricolour). Musk Mallow is a close cousin to hollyhock, with satiny funnel shaped flowers in white and pink. It has a good, tight, clump-forming habit for much of the season and grows about a foot-high.

Johnny-jump-ups are lovable little violas with happy faces that are also known as heartsease. It’s hard to imagine ever being overrun with this abundant self-seeder.