Nigella Delft Blue

Nigella ‘Delft Blue’ is a real standout. This Nigella papillosa has striking blue and white petals held wide around a fountain of rich plum-purple stamens. The flowers are cut-and-come-again — keep picking them and they’ll keep coming. Great for summer colour and just as useful for autumn seed pods, whether fresh in a vase or dried for later.

🌸 Flowering: June to September, autumn seed pods

📏 Height: 55cm

🌿Annual

SOW
Sow outdoors from March to May where you want them to flower — either in short rows or broadcast and gently raked in for a natural drift. Barely cover the seed, 3–5mm is enough. Germination usually takes about 3 weeks.

You can also start them in trays under cover in March, or try an August/September sowing in a sheltered spot for flowers a few weeks earlier the following year. If tray- or bed-sown, prick out or thin to 25cm apart once seedlings are big enough to handle.

GROW
Nigella are low-fuss and do well in most garden soils, but they’re happiest in a sunny, well-drained spot. Deadhead if you want more flowers, or let some go to seed for those beautiful pods. For a longer show, sow a fresh batch every 3–4 weeks through spring.

ENJOY
Cut the striking, structured blooms of Nigella ‘Delft Blue’ regularly to keep the flowers coming — their bold centres and delicate blue-and-white petals make them perfect for summer arrangements. These florist favourites last well in a vase. Later in the season, the sculptural seed pods can be dried for long-lasting displays or used in crafts.