Love having flowers in your garden? They do help lure 'em bees don't they? I love flowers and prefer them in the garden than in a vase in the house. Keeps them in bloom for a long time instead of just a few days.

If you have read my previous gardening articles, then you must have already known that a few years ago, I got me organic seeds of flowering plants that call 'em bees from Green Peace. One of those seeds was " Devil - in - a - bush". For such a cute plant, not to mention that the flowers look like delicate layered laces, this "Love -in - a - mist" is also called that.

This was what those seeds looked like. They maybe puny but they are also called black cumin and could be used in treating sore throat, high blood pressure, antioxidant , as psoriasis ointment and many others. As they are called black cumin, you probably already got a hint that they could be used for cooking. Crush them and get an odor similar to a citrus fruit and tastes nutty and pepper- ish. They could be used as flavor enhancers to your cheese, meat, fish or any seafood, bread and salad. I use a garlic crusher to do the trick easy peasy.

You can collect them out of this - seed pod. This is the reason why they call it Devil - in - a - bush . They find it eerie when browned specially as the leaves around it look brown and haloween-ish spider webie as well. The pods are green first green, then they turn brown and light brown, crunchy to the feel when dry enough. In time, they pop open and you can collect those seeds.

What I like about them are the petals. They are as thin as papers and come in pink, white, yellowish and blue. Normally, there are just 5 petals.

On the pics above, there are five petals in three separate layers on each flower. As if the plant also has an OC it has arranged its layers of petals in a way that each petal doesn't overlap the other under or above it. You could see the tips of each petal under the layer above them ... occupying, exactly the empty space between those petals atop or under them.

It's the same case on its leaflet arrangement per stem, there's just one needle - like leaflet extending from each node of the stem. No, they don't prick. In fact, they're very delicate like spider webs -only thicker and green.

I planted them in one pot because they're so puny and just collect the dried bracts before winter. I plant the seeds alternately along the borders of the apple trees where it's sunny and since they aren't high maintainance, they do very well without requiring much attention, which.. they actually get much as you can see with these much photos I made and yes, I have more in files because of their cute, pretty puny flowers. They do not attract pests like aphids or anything so yes, I'm propagating seeds every year and I actually just started with three seeds from Green Peace but now I have a lot of them.

They are self seeding and would eventually come out where ever they drop but I collect them to move them here and there every now and then. A cluster of them in bloom is a feast in the eye and maybe, also - for the bees.

It's January and I'm looking forward to spring. These Love - in - a - mist bloom in Spring if you sow them early in the green house. Normally, blooming comes in summer till early Spring if you plant them in a full sun. I just soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. Rid of the ones that float, plant them that didn't in moist soil and keep the soil moist till they can manage on their own. After that, not much caring needed. Pretty handy huh?

Have you got any flowers in mind to plant in your garden this Spring?