4 Blue Flowers Recommended by A Famous Gardener
Have you ever stumbled across something old that sparked a completely new adventure? That’s exactly what happened to me this winter when I was reading Vita Sackville-West’s book In Your Garden. Her article dated April 6, 1947 led to the blue flowers now sprouting in my Michigan basement!
The 75-Year Old Blue Flower Challenge
In her article, Vita challenged gardeners to try something different:
“What you sow must depend upon your personal taste and the coloring you want is a change from the usual jumble, pretty and gay though it may be. You might find it more original to concentrate on one color.”
She then suggested a combination of blue flowers, all annuals, that caught my eye:
- Phacelia
- Nigella (love in the mist)
- Nemophila
- Asperula azurea
She promised these would “give a brilliant blue effect, especially if massed in front of delphiniums.”
Except for Nigella, which already self-seeds happily in my garden, I didn’t recognize any of these Latin names. Could these vintage recommendations actually work in our modern Midwest gardens? The idea of growing blue-blooming annuals based on an article written over 75 years ago completely captured my imagination.
The Hunt for Vintage Blue Flowers
My research revealed these mysterious plants by their common names:
- Phacelia = Desert Bells (native to California)
- Nemophila = Baby Blue Eyes
- Asperula azurea = Blue Woodruff
One by one, I tracked down seeds for these vintage blue beauties. As I planted them and placed them under my grow lights, I felt strangely connected to gardeners of the past. How many people read Vita’s article back then and rushed out to buy these same seeds? These weren’t just seeds—they carried stories of gardens past and finding beauty in simple things.
Growing Blue Flowers from Seed
A couple years ago, I made a conscious decision to return to basics in my gardening practice by growing more plants from seed. This blue flower project has been the perfect expression of that goal, allowing me to start something beautiful during winter’s dark days.
The Results So Far
Desert Bells (Phacelia campanularia)
These surprised me by blooming first! They’re low-growing annuals with a brilliant blue color that immediately shows why Vita considered them favorites. Some of my leaves turned a bit yellow (I suspect overwatering), but overall, they’re thriving. The larger pots definitely produced bigger plants.
Blue Woodruff (Asperula orientalis)
I’m growing two varieties: Cloud Nine with white blooms and a beautiful bluish-purple variety. My germination rates weren’t great under grow lights, likely because the seed packet noted they prefer being sown in cool spring soil. I hedged my bets by winter-sowing some outdoors as well, which worked better.
Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii)
These charming little seedlings are just about ready to be potted up. Based on the seed catalog pictures, these should produce delightful blue flowers once established in the garden.
Love-in-the-Mist (Nigella damascena)
I already grow the pretty blue flowers of Nigella in my garden (they faithfully self-seed each year), but I decided to winter-sow some white-blooming varieties as well. These tiny seedlings are ready to go into the garden, and I can’t wait to see the white blooms for comparison!
The Joys of Growing from Seed
For me, there’s something incredibly exciting about growing plants from seed. Watching these historic varieties emerge from tiny specks into living plants that Vita Sackville-West admired almost a century ago feels like gardening time travel. There’s something magical about connecting with gardeners across generations through the simple act of growing the same plants.
I’d love to hear if you’re growing anything from seed this season! Have you ever grown any of these blue beauties in your garden? How did they perform for you? Sometimes the best gardening adventures start with the smallest seeds—or in my case, with a 75-year-old newspaper article!
