An old-fashioned favorite returns with a wonderful new way of growing! Nemesia used to be almost always bought as a plant by home gardeners, because it was fussy to germinate and grow. But now we have Seventh Heaven, which shoots right up from seed, needs no pinching to achieve a full, well-branched habit, and offers glorious bicolor blooms with a sweet scent! Discover why our grandparents were so fond of this cool-season shade lover!

When you look closely at the blooms, you can see that Nemesia (known as Busy Lizzie once upon a time) is related to Snapdragon. Those pea-like blooms may not have "jaws," but they offer the same wide-open, interesting shape. And they have one huge advantage that their cousin the Snapdragon lacks: they are fragrant!

The scent of Nemesia is spicy, a bit like Dianthus (that pleasing, clove-like aroma). These exquisite blooms -- really tricolors with a yellow beard between the white and lavender petals! -- are about ¾ inches wide and sweetly aromatic.

The flowers arise in spring and fall, signaling to butterflies to visit the shade! In warm climates, they go through fall and sometimes into winter. The plants reach just 12 to 14 inches high and an inch or two wider, with good branching and an upright, airy habit. Cool-season blooms are always hard to find, and you should make Seventh Heaven a big part of your spring and fall containers as well as your bedding design.

Nemesia was once quite a challenge to start from seed, but Seventh Heaven is a new generation of easy for the family! Start the seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before last anticipated frost. Cover the seed lightly in the seed tray, or drop one seed into each bio sponge of the Bio Dome. It will germinate within 4 to 5 days at 65 to 72 degrees F, but needs high humidity (95%) throughout the process, as well as high light. Put plastic over the seed tray until germination is complete, or use the Bio Dome with vents closed to maximize the humidity.

The seedlings are ready to transplant when they have at least 2 sets of true leaves. Unlike older Nemesia varieties, Seventh Heaven needs no pinching to develop good branching and plenty of buds. You will love this fragrant, free-flowering cool-season beauty! Packet is 25 seeds.