Thompson & Morgan Kew 'Miss Willmott's Ghost' seeds

Few plants command attention quite like Miss Willmott's Ghost. Silvery, spiny bracts encircle steel-blue, cone-shaped flowerheads, rising on pale stems above a rosette of heart-shaped foliage. The effect is striking and slightly otherworldly, hence the name — legend has it that Victorian gardener Ellen Willmott would scatter its seeds in gardens she visited, leaving a ghostly reminder of her presence long after she'd gone. It carries the RHS Award of Garden Merit and holds its striking form even as the flowers dry, making it as valuable in the border as it is in a vase.

A robust biennial or short-lived perennial, it typically reaches around 1m in height with a spread of 30-50cm. Plant in full sun in poor to moderately fertile, free-draining soil — it dislikes winter wet, so avoid heavy, waterlogged ground. Once settled, it self-seeds freely, so expect new plants to appear in following years if seedheads are left in place. Deadheading isn't necessary unless you'd rather limit self-seeding. The nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for bees and other pollinating insects.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch to ensure it reaches you in the best possible condition.

A couple of notes: sources vary a bit on height/spread (RHS gives 0.5-1m height, 0.1-0.5m spread; others quote up to 1.2m), so I've gone with a middle-ground figure that matches RHS most closely — let me know if you'd rather I tighten that to match a specific supplier spec you're working from. Also didn't find a UK-grown origin confirmed anywhere, so I've left provenance unstated per your usual approach.

Here's a listing description for the seeds, in a format adapted for sowing/growing from seed:

Eryngium giganteum 'Miss Willmott's Ghost' Seeds — Kew Pollination Collection

Grow your own drift of Miss Willmott's Ghost from seed with this selection from the Kew Pollination Collection. Silvery, spiny bracts frame steel-blue, cone-shaped flowerheads on tall, elegant stems — an architectural addition to any border, gravel garden, or naturalistic planting scheme. Named for the Victorian gardener said to scatter its seeds wherever she went, leaving a ghostly trace behind her, it's as good in a vase as it is in the ground, holding its striking form even once dried. The nectar-rich blooms make it a magnet for bees and other pollinating insects, and it carries the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Sow from February to July on the surface of good quality seed compost, covering lightly with a dusting of compost or vermiculite — the seed needs light to germinate, so avoid burying it too deep. Keep at a steady temperature of around 18-22°C until germination, then pot on seedlings once large enough to handle. A biennial or short-lived perennial, it typically reaches around 1m in height with a spread of 30cm, and once established will self-seed readily, so expect new plants to appear in subsequent seasons. Grow on in full sun, in poor to moderately fertile, free-draining soil, protecting from winter wet.

Each pack is hand-selected before dispatch to ensure the best possible germination results.