I was attracted to the wild, fantastic forms of Eryngium giganteum umbelliferae (also known as Miss Willmott's ghost), so I ordered a pack of seeds from a local seed shop:
I also received the instructions for starting them, that say, among other things:
To improve germination rate, after placing the seed in the soil, cover the container with glass, and keep it outside for 2-3 week in the cold. Then move it indoors to a room with temperature 15 degree C.
It just sounds too complected for a beginner like myself!
I searched the internet, and I got even worse suggestions - some of them said that it may take a year for this plant to germinate in a container. This was so depressing.
This actually stands in a stark contrast to the stories that are told about this plant:
This species is sometimes commonly called Miss Willmott’s Ghost in reference to Ellen Willmott (1858-1934), English gardener in Essex, who so loved this plant with its silvery ghost-like appearance that she reportedly scattered its seed on a regular basis in gardens she visited without telling the owners.
and
This plant was named after Ellen Willmott, an eccentric English gardener who loved it so much that she secretly dropped seeds in the gardens she visited without telling anyone and the plants would mysteriously appear later.
Should I just give up starting from containers, and scatter the seeds just like Miss Willmott (but in my own yard)?
My hardness zone is 8a.
