The Tiniest Seed
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Seeds of Lobelia Crystal Palace (Lobelia erinus)This is the fourth year I am starting my garden from seeds, and no seed fascinates me more than the tiny lobelia. Smaller than grains of sand and merely a fraction the size of a pinhead, I know no other seed so nearly invisible. I try to grasp a few in my hand and they sink into the moist recesses of my fingerprints, like tiny brown pebbles lodged in the crevasse of a valley -- practically lost from view.
As tiny as lobelia seeds are, it amazes me that they can grow into anything. What's inside of the Crystal Palace variety is no less than the making of a deep blue universe -- a cluster of starry flowers so vivid they almost pierce the eye. Something so pure. So real. So deep. Is any other flower so intensely blue?
Lobelia seed is nothing short of a miracle.
Lobelia in the shadow of towering Calendula seeds"I have great faith in a seed...
Convince me that you have a seed there,
and I am prepared to expect wonders."
- Henry David Thoreau -
7 Comments:
Hey,
Nice entry. You did a good job with the photo and I love the quote at the end.
I don't know......petunia seeds and nicotiana are miniscule!
LOVE the photo of the lobelia seeds with the pin! I also like the calendula/lobelia seeds picture.
I grew calendula for the first time last year and I was quite surprised at the seed heads. The seeds look like worms to me. LOL.
Hi Christa,
I just found your blog ans want to say hello from Austria!
The seed is really tiny, unbelievable! I´m just thinking about trying to seed my own plants for this garden season but I don´t have enough space for all the plant pots. So I think I have to buy them.
Greetings, Verena
Beautiful pictures... and words, as well. :)
Pretty photos!
I don't know how the nurseries plant lobelia seeds. I don't have the patience nor tool to pick up individual seeds to place in peat pots so I prepared a bed outside when it got warm and broadcast the seeds which worked one year when it rained enough. The following year it was a failure as the soil dried out too much. This is a must have plant for us as we love the dark blue color until the first frost in fall. Very nice close up pictures.
I was given Lobelia seeds as a gift - they are meant to be grown and then inserted into a hanging bag on a patio...lovely idea and lovely gift but it was like planting grains of pepper! I am curious to see how these progress. And indeed, they are a miracle!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
Home