Don’t forget the little wonder that’s a big star
‘‘A little goes a long way’’ describes perfectly Myosotis, aka, forget-me-not, which seems capable of growing (invited or otherwise) just about anywhere, although it does prefer a moist soil with just a hint of shade.
It spreads quickly by seed, but should start to get a bit too invasive, just pull it up – which makes this spring bloomer a notunwelcome guest in many shadier parts of the garden. Myosotis isn’t just a freegrowing annual; it also comes in biennial and perennial forms ideal for underplanting or edging beds and borders. Alternatively, try growing it in a container or hanging-basket.
In the wild, it loves damp spots such as streamsides where the perennial form will take root and spread, flowering profusely from May to July or even later.
It’s a hardy little plant, which explains why it’s so successful, both in and out of the garden.
Although Myosotis is easy to identify, there is another delicate and tiny blueflowering perennial plant which is often mistaken for it.
Germander speedwell, aka Veronica chamaedrys, is at home over most of Britain, be it in woods, fields or alongside roads. Its blooms are a deeper blue than those of the forget-me-not and usually have four, not five, petals. Country folk tend to call it ‘Cat’s eye’ and it is usually at its best in May and June, although this year it has flowered well into July.
Another little beauty that is hard to forget and which is far less welcome than both forget-me-not and speedwell, is also making its presence felt both in gardens and beyond. It’s called Herb Robert, or Geranium robertianum, and its dark green/red leaves and pretty pink flowers have become part of the English garden – and countryside, where it’s found in the wild in hedgerows, woods, grasslands and walls, where it can take root in the tiniest crevice.