Forget-Me-Not

They are one of my favorite flowers in the wild. Small and dainty, they brighten the cool spring shade with tiny blue flowers and yellow centers.
Greek botanists were the first to name the plant and called it myosotis, "mouse ear", after the shape of its leaves.
It can be grown from seed or bought as a plant in the early spring.
The seeds can be planted in fall or early spring.
Forget-Me-Nots are easy to grow. They will bloom profusely in shady areas, and do not require a lot of attention. They prefer shade, but will do well in sun, too. They grow well in average soils but the soil should be kept moist.

When bees hum in the linden tree

and roses bloom in cottage plots.

Along the brookside banks we see

the blue wild forget-me-nots.

~Patience Strong~

Associated with loving remembrance and true love, the Forget-Me-Not legend concerns a knight in armor and his lady. It is said that a medieval knight walked near a riverbank with his beloved. Seeing some flowers growing at the edge of the water the fair maiden asked good knight to pick them. As the knight stretched out his hand for them, he slipped and fell into the river. Wearing heavy armor and unable to swim, he was carried away down stream. As his love wept and tried to pull him from the water, he handed her a bouquet of small, blue flowers and whispered, “forget me not.”
The maiden never forgot her knight and named the flower Forget-Me-Not in his memory.

Another legend of the origin of the flower is that after the earth was created God went to each plant and animal and gave each a name. As God finished and was getting ready to leave, He heard a little voice at His feet saying "what about Me?" God bent down and picked up the little plant whom He had forgotten, and said, "Because I forgot once, I shall never forget you again, and that shall be your name."

In other stories they were said to be used as protective talismans against witches, and lucky emblems to the likes of King Henry IV of England – who adopted this flower as his personal good luck charm.
The forget me not flower is also occasionally used by herbalists. Teas are sometimes made from dried forget me nots not only for its pleasant, slightly earthy flavor, but also because it is said to be soothing to the nerves, promote better sleep, better skin and even weight loss.