I don’t know the exact origin of the common name of the forget-me-not. I’ve always liked it, and over the years I’ve made up my own background stories, so I’d not rather ruin any of those scenarios just yet. If you’re interested, Google it yourself, you lazy bum. Here’s photo of a nice specimen taken when I was last in Maine. I planted a few of these at my parents, and though technically these are biennials, they managed to re-seed to extend their presence for more than a few years. Eventually they faded out. It would be easy enough to re-seed, but I don’t live there anymore, and I don’t like their unreliability for where I am now.
Like other unreliable yet pretty plants, I enjoy them more in the gardens of other people than I do in my own. For that reason, I also value them a little more. We always want what is just out of reach. The elusive adds its appeal to everything. If the common dandelion were rarer and less hardy, it would be celebrated, printed on pillows and curtains and tablecloths, deified in its scarce glory.
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