Forget-Me-Nots

In a Greek legend, God named all the plants when a tiny unnamed one cried out, “Forget-me-not, O Lord!” God replied, “That shall be your name.” Another legend tells when the Creator thought he had finished giving the flowers their colors he heard one whisper “Forget me not!” There was nothing left but a very small amount of blue, but the forget-me-not was delighted to wear such a light blue shade

King Henry IV adopted the flower as his symbol during his exile in 1398, and kept the symbol when he returned to England the following year.

In 15th-century Germany, it was believed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a bouquet of flowers, but because of the weight of his armor he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the bouquet to his loved one and shouted “forget me not.”

Forget-Me-Nots are easy to grow. The Latin name is Myosotis sylvatica. They will grow well in shady areas and give you a ton of flowers. They require very little attention from you once established. As with all your plantings, preparation of the soil is key. Incorporate rich compost into the soil such as Bumper Crop* along with some peat moss. This will provide a perfect soil foundation for new plants that can retain water and nutrients. To help in drought conditions use Espoma Bio-Tone* soil conditioner with beneficial mycorrhizae. This will help establish a large healthy root system. Make sure you keep them watered well. Follow up with a monthly feeding of Espoma Flower-Tone and don’t be shy to liquid feed them with Miracle-Gro*.
Mature height of Forget-Me-Nots is 6 to 12 inches. They flower in the spring and are perennial. The most popular color is the light blue with yellow center but they can also come in white and pink. They are drought tolerant and make a great ground cover. If you have an erosion problem this could be a perfect remedy as they can hold your soil in place. Plant them in garden beds, rock gardens, shade gardens or in containers.

Forget-me-Nots are an excellent symbol of love and friendship. Try one today.