Reseda odorata Grandiflora Seeds - Garden mignonette

Reseda odorata 'Grandiflora' is a compact selection of sweet mignonette that produces large clusters of yellow-green flowers with a sweet and sugary scent. It used to be found in many gardens and this annual plant deserves to be rediscovered: it is a nectar-rich, unassuming, pleasantly fragrant plant, easy to sow and cultivate. It blooms for several weeks in summer, bringing life to borders and sunny beds. The mignonette enhances all the plants it accompanies, both in the garden and in bouquets. This compact variety 'Grandiflora' grows very well in pots on the terrace or balcony.

Reseda odorata 'Grandiflora' belongs to the family of resedas, it is a horticultural selection of Sweet Mignonette. It is an annual plant that germinates, flowers and produces seeds within a few months before disappearing. Probably native to the Mediterranean basin, particularly North Africa, the species is widespread in many regions. It is used in the composition of many perfumes. The 'Grandiflora' cultivar blooms all summer, from June to September-October, depending on the sowing date, if care is taken to regularly remove faded flowers. The plant develops strong, branching stems, initially spreading and then upright, forming a clump about forty centimetres in all directions. The leaves are arranged alternately on the stems. They are entire or lobed, toothed or divided into segments, measuring between 2 and 15 cm long. Those that make up the basal rosette are larger than those on the stems. The inflorescence is a large pyramid-shaped cluster of numerous flowers. The flower has six petals of a pale yellow-green, with the upper ones divided into three narrow lobes. The centre of the corolla is occupied by numerous stamens terminated by large pendulous orange anthers. The flowers are rich in nectar and visited by bees. After pollination, fruits form which are capsules containing seeds. When conditions are suitable, the sweet mignonette self-sows randomly in the garden.

The 'Grandiflora' sweet mignonette is an elegant, generous, yet simple plant. It can be sown directly in the ground in spring, among perennials or small bushes, in a natural garden or a cottage garden. It can be planted in border beds, rockeries, or even in the vegetable garden for cut flowers. Some ideas for associations: with tree mallows, fragrant ornamental tobaccos, four o'clocks, wallflowers ...