200 seeds 020070 £2.50 In stock
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When in stock, please allow up to 5 working days for despatch.
5 seedlings 510739-5 £6.50 Delivery late March
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When in stock, please allow up to 4-6 weeks for despatch. 
10 seedlings 510739-10 £11.95 Delivery late March
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When in stock, please allow up to 4-6 weeks for despatch. 
5 jumbo seedlings 510739-SP05 £8.50 Delivery mid May
[?]
When in stock, please allow up to 4-6 weeks for despatch. 

Or buy this as part of our Flowers for a White Garden Collection.

More Details

Its beautiful flowers are followed by equally dramatic and beautiful seed pods. I love 10 or 15 stems of this on their own in a simple jug or a rosemary covered jam jar.

Nigellas are the classic cottage garden annual which makes fabulous cut flowers and filler foliage for any vase. They dry brilliantly too.

Genus Nigella
Group/Species papillosa
Variety African Bride
Type Hardy Annual
Common Name Love-in-a-mist
Border Position Cutting Garden
Soil Type Broad Tolerance
Scent Unscented
Site Full Sun
Moisture Well-drained
Height 60cm (24in)
Spacing 30cm (12in)
Sowing, Seeds, Planting Sow under cover March and September, or April and August direct. Will self-sow but colours cross breed.
Care Tips Keep picking but leave a few flowers to form seed pods for mixing with later flowers.
Flowering July - September, 10-12 weeks from spring sowing
Vase Life These last 7 days in the vase. Strip the bottom leaves. The seed pods dry brilliantly.
Harvesting Flower and seed case production: 3 months.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sow Under Cover/Plant Indoors
  • Direct Sow/Plant Outdoors
  • Flowers/Harvest
Advice
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Delivery

Plant Delivery - When in stock, please allow up to 4-6 weeks for despatch. 

Seeds Delivery - When in stock, please allow up to 5 working days for despatch.

Click here to find out more information about our delivery rates and times.

Nigella papillosa 'African Bride' reviews

* * * * - Average based on 39 reviews

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Reviewed 22nd May 2020 by Cheryl

They were a little floppy when they arrived but recovered after potting on and are now very established outside with lots of flower heads.

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Reviewed 21st April 2020 by Mary

Service was a little slowed because of Covid 19 but the system worked well and I could track progress on the website.
The seedlings were all healthy and safely packaged.

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Reviewed 20th April 2020 by Vivien

Brilliant but need to know what situation is re my waiting list plants

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Reviewed 4th August 2019 by Gillian

not terribly successful. didn't grow on. would grow my own from seed in future

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Reviewed 1st August 2019 by Claire

Seeds scattered in the garden and grew very well.

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Reviewed 1st August 2019 by Helen

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Reviewed 1st August 2019 by Kate

These have grown into impressive size plants and are giving me lots of flowers.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Jane

These are looking wonderful now and luckily the rabbits have ignored them.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Fiona

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Susan

Gorgeous flowers...easy to grow

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Nadine

I think it was my fault for planting them in poor soil and not in sunlight. Very disappointing.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by L Peniket

Unfortunately although I followed the sowing instructions on the packet none of the seeds germinated. Very disappointing

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Gill

They have grown and have several plants to show

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Wendy

The bees absolutely love these. So easy to keep

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Jill

Germinated. Only just flowering now.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Mrs Butler

Disappointing result - plants have not been good only two survived

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Bridget

Only 1 'survived and bloomed very poorly - very disappointing

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Jane

The seeds arrived promptly

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Barbara

Died not long after arrival.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Karen

The seeds have germinated but still waiting for them to flower.

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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Nicola

Followed the instructions but only a couple flowered.

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Reviewed 14th November 2018 by Ms Roocroft

Decent seedlings, but Grew into rather spindly plants, again possibly due to hot dry summer

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Reviewed 14th November 2018 by Hazel

quality plants, well packaged and delivered on scheduled. Plants grew on well in the garden after planting out.

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Reviewed 7th November 2018 by Mrs Staniforth

Excellent plants , grew well in garden

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Reviewed 12th October 2018 by Lnda

Again, these plants performed well in spite of my neglect. Very pretty.

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Reviewed 21st September 2018 by Joyce

I bought a whole bunch of plug plants and tubers in Spring, all for a clients cutting garden. I grew the plant on until they were 2/3Litre pot size. The plants were all good, strong and sturdy and I only have two that died off in around 275 plants. I was dissappointed with the dahlias though as the not all came true as per the label. I certainly didnt get the Labyrinth that I ordered.

* * - - -

Reviewed 20th September 2018 by Lesley

Again, one of my late entrants. Much repotting and nurturing, but it never looked at all happy. Put in various pots in my courtyard but it just sulked. A few very miserable, small flowers. A couple of tiny seed pods, which I've shaken on the troughs, etc in the hopes of some more and better ones next year. Very disappointing - and Nigella are generally not exactly demanding or difficult.

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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Julie

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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Philomena

Nice plants. I thought the flowers didn't have much impact

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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Sue

The service was brilliant, as always.
Apart from that I don’t want to leave a review because I had failures and lost several of the plants I’d ordered but I think this was due to the unusual and unexpected heat and lack of any rain for weeks.
I hope you understand!
Sue

* * * * *

Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Siobain

1st time I planted these and loved them - will definitely be buying them for next year!

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Reviewed 18th September 2018 by Pamela

Good quality plants and I liked them so much that I placed a second order for them. Lovely colour and so delicate.

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Reviewed 13th September 2018 by Lynn

The service was good but the seedlings not so. The first pack I received were very poor. I tried to grow them on but they failed. I rang customer services and they kindly replaced them. They were stronger but sadly did not perform.. it was a shame as they were for my son's wedding in August along with cosmos and Maliope which were for the bouquet and all deorations in the barn and marquee. my now daughter in law had the same problem with some of her seedlings

Reply from the Sarah Raven Team:

"Thank you for leaving your review. We are very sorry to hear of your disappointment with your nigella seedlings and have refunded you for them."

Posted 7th November 2018

* * * * *

Reviewed 3rd September 2018 by Edward

I ordered many plants from you this year including Cerithe, Calendula, Salvia, Scabius, Helianthus, Euphorbia, Malope, Verbena, Centurea, Cosmos, Ammi, Delphiniums,Aster, Bupleurum, Ridolfia, Nigella, Foxgloves and six varieties of Sweet Pea. The plants came brilliantly packaged and generally on time but your promise of notifying me when they were dispatched was never fulfilled. I was unhappy with the appearance of the first batch of Nigella and you sent me better ones a little later. I had to nurture both lots very carefully and in the end they performed really well with spectacular seed heads.
The large flower cutting garden I created for a prestigious client in North Yorkshire was and still is spectacular because you had given the seedlings such a good start. I was a little disappointed in the delphiniums - they had had a hard trip and in spite of all my care three died on me; the others produced good flower heads and should do better next year. I hope it will be the same for the Foxgloves.
I've given you 5 stars because of the overall quality of the plants which were good value and the helpful communications from your customer service, which was always clear and friendly.
My client was very pleased and so was I.
Thank you.

* * * * -

Reviewed 3rd September 2018 by Lesley

Well packaged, prompt delivery. Only 3 survived however. Hoping to collect seeds for next year.

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Reviewed 2nd September 2018 by Margaret

Lovely flowers - when they did flower but they were lost with other plants. Nothing wrong with your seedlings, but maybe the wrong garden for their size or wrong spot

Wrong colour!

* - - - -

Reviewed 3rd July 2017 by Angela Tickle

So disappointed, these have just started opening and are not African Bride but Delft Blue. I was gutted when my zinnia Purple Prince opened red, what's going on?

Reply from the Sarah Raven Team:

"Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.
We are very sorry to hear that your plants have flowered incorrectly. We do take these matters very seriously, please contact our Customer Services Team who will be happy to look in to this for you. "

Posted 6th July 2017
African Bride

* * * * *

Reviewed 17th November 2014 by Mary Oldham

This proved to be a beautiful addition to my patio garden - I could only afford five seedlings but they filled a pot and lasted for ages. The beautiful flowers were followed by exquisite seed heads - full of seed! In fact some of the seed heads are still standing.

Couldn't be more pleased

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Reviewed 18th October 2014 by JujuW

Fab performance in our garden this year and wonderful as cutting flowers. Great in a vase with some mint and sage.... who'd have thought it?! Bees loved them, too.

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