MAIN Home Life Gardening Flowers Forget-Me-Nots

Forget-Me-Nots are scientifcally known as myosotis or "mouse ears" and one look at their small blue petals and you'll know why.

But... how did they come to be known as forget-me-nots?

Legend has it that the name derives from medieval times, when a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. As the story goes, the knight picked a bouquet of flowers for his love, but because of the weight of his armor he fell headlong into the river. As he was drowning he threw the bouquet to her and desperately shouted "Forget-me-not!"

Ever since, the flower has been associated with expressions of undying affection between loved ones. Today, there are about 50 known species of forget-me-nots. Most variations fit the description of a light sky blue five-petaled flower that blooms in spring, but other colors have since been developed including white and pink.

Easy to grow from seed, they prefer a rich soil, but generally don't mind overcrowding and are a favorite to grow in lightly shady areas under large trees or in rock gardens ...

On the Web - How to plant & grow forget-me-nots :

How to Grow Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis Sylvatica) - Basic primer from E-How.com with pictures & instructions.

Detailed information on Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sylvatica) - Fact sheet from Dave's Garden PlantFiles showing U.S. hardiness zones, recommended spacing between plants, sun exposure, propagation, soil requirements and related information, including site member suggestions & comments.

Remembering the 'Forget-me-nots' - Plant lore and related facts & info on the borage family of hardy flowering plants including medicinal uses.

Plant Pest Handbook - Forget-me-not (Myosotis) - A list of diseases common to forget-me-nots and possible remedies along with pest control tips for aphids and potato flea beetles.

A Close-up View of Two Forget -Me-Nots - And they mean it - with extreme close-ups of myosotis arvensis and myosotis scorpioides including microsopic views and diagrams.

Forget-Me-Not Picture & Wallpaper - Know a forget-me-not fan? Send them here for their free download of wallpapers courtesy of National Geographic.

also see in Garden Flowers -> Four O'Clocks

Impatiens | Marigolds | Morning Glory | Nasturtiums | Pansy

Petunias | Snapdragons | Sunflowers | Verbena | Zinnia