Pretty, shade-loving mauve wildflower

Photo taken today...
Grows in dappled share, looks like thistle from a distance, but almost carrot like feathery foliage.

 

It looks a bit like my phacelia tanacetifolia but wait til the experts come along and see what they say.

 

Thanks @Fern4 ! It would make sense to be phacelia, as it has been sown by the farmer in his nature strip around the field. On another field's nature strip he has sown a cornflower, camomile and poppy mix


I have to admit to taking a single seedhead from the mauve flower, and might be tempted to see if I can get it established in our garden here... But I wanted to check that I wasn't introducing a thug. It seems the main problem with this flower is that if you need pollination at the same time as the tansy is in flower, the bees will favour the tansy over your beans/peas etc!

 

Phacelia tanacetifolia has gorgeous flowers and will make a good garden flower.
It is most commonly used by farmers here as a green manure crop.
Saw a field of it up here just last week.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=p...g6LfxgIVI7PbCh04MgZN&biw=1600&bih=777&dpr=1.2

 

I grew it from seed this year to see if the bees like it ....and they do. The flowers are lovely so I think I'll collect the seeds from it for next year.

 

Well, the seedhead didn't come with planting instructions , so when did you sow?!

 

This may help....

https://www.sarahraven.com/veg_fruit/seeds/companion_planting/phacelia_tanacetifolia.htm

http://higgledygarden.com/2013/11/2...tifolia-from-seed-for-your-cut-flower-garden/

 

Fantastic, @Silver surfer !

As I hoped, I should be able to sow direct about now. Not surprising, if you think about it, as that is what the plant itself is trying to do!!

 

I shall have to keep a look out for that - not only a pretty flower, but a long flowering season and makes a good cut flower too

 

I sowed mine in early April...they're dead easy. As I've got a container garden, I sowed direct into a large pot and they germinated quickly.

I bought mine from here....there's a bit more info about them on the page.

http://www.seedaholic.com/phacelia-tanacetifolia-lacy-phacelia-1.html