Its compact habit and free flowering make it very useful for edging. The flowers are deep blue with a prettily contrasting white eye. Also valuable for window-boxes and hanging baskets.

Sow late winter to mid spring at 18-24C (65-75F) in a good seed compost. Sow seeds on surface of compost and gently firm down compost. Keep soil damp but not wet. Do not exclude light, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is help- ful. Germination usually takes 14 to 21 days.

When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant in bunches of 3 or 4 and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 10cm (4in) apart in a sunny spot in light moist soil. For pot plants, transplant the seedlings into 7.5cm (3in) pots, grow cool. well ventilated and give plenty of light, but shade from direct sun.

Nocif à la consommation