I have no idea why, but for years I have loved Poppies.....family, friends have sent postcards or photos for me in all shapes and sizes....so I can frame the pics.....Try as I may I cant grow the Red ones....the only colour is a sort of pale orange poppy that grows in my garden....so if any friends have any handy tips....please pass the details on....cheers Katy
Hope you like the picture my sister gave me years ago.....x
As I recall when I was in England many years ago they grew wild and you were not allowed to pick them...I think it was because of the opium that was in them
They are a pretty flower. I never see any here in anyones garden . I must ask the Nursery about that...I am pretty sure its because of opium.
The poppy is the California state flower. Ours isn't the opium kind or so they say. :confused:
LMAO......Bood....thats right our poppies are not the opium ones......I find it crazy as I travel around I see poppies growing wildly alongside roads......in fields.....on waste land....and if any new homes get built at certain times of the year.....ahh!! the land gets covered in them......yet I cant grown them in my garden........ooohhh!!....xKaty
Ahh!! then I will never grow them in my garden........all my plants ..flowers get TLC.....thats how I killed off my Lavender.....I gave it to much water....ahh!! how can you tell I am a learner......lol......only had a big garden for nine years........missing it like crazy at the moment as I am staying with family.....the only garden they have is a postage stamp one out front.......cheers Katy
Katy....Here's some info on poppies I found... I was thinking the same as Bood... they grow wild here as our state flower...little or no care:)
Growing Poppy Flowers-
The poppy is a gorgeous plant that has been highly revered by many cultures over thousands of years. While the poppy’s bloom does not last very long, when it does it is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Poppies can grow to be as high as 18 inches and produce gorgeous, delicate flowers in pretty colors. When first planting poppy flowers, try to plant them in the fall or even in the winter if the winters in your particular region are fairly mild. They like a lot of sun, but also don’t mind occasional shade. They grow very easily, and you don’t even need to plant or insert them directly into the soil. A light sprinkling of the seeds on the surface of a flowerbed should do. Poppies are considered wildflowers, so they grow easily and are a breeze to maintain. Of course, once the poppy flowers begin to grow into seedlings, it will be necessary to somewhat separate them. A distance of anywhere from four to ten inches should do.
While poppies, like just about every other plant, need to be watered, they only like the soil slightly moist. In fact, they can tolerate almost drought like conditions. Keep this in mind so when you do water them, it is very light. If it has rained recently, even within the span of a week, the poppies may not need to be watered at all. Since poppies only bloom for a few days, many people opt to plant another annual over top of them to maintain the fullness of their flower garden. The poppies are so delicate that heavy winds or even hard rain may end up harming them. While very beautiful, the poppy is a flower that should be considered part of a mixture of other flowers instead of grown just on its own. Since it is easy to cultivate, they make a great addition to any garden.
Cheers Maureen for the info....magic....I have two corners in my garden that has an assortment of wildflowers that just bloom at certain times of the year....I think what I may do is get some good seeds and in the late Autumn just gently scatter the seeds...then see what happens next year.....lol....with loving the poppy...for years I have seen me...walking over waste land to get photos.....lol......Some local Dog owners I know, who have seen me must think I am krackers.....Its bit like my love of Roses....friends and family let me take pics when they are in bloom in their gardens....all the pics of roses that I post on site are from lots of different gardens........In a past life I must have been a farmers wife...lol....or something to do with flora......((Hugs)) dear friend....xKaty
katy, this is the first year i've ever planted poppies, and they are only seedlings right now,as only planted few weeks ago. about 1and 1/2 in tall right now. don't seem to need a lot to keep growing, but won't really know anything else until further into their growth. will have to refer back to maureen's post quite a bit, i'm thinking, to know if mine are growing normally they are beautiful--i believe it is because of their delicacy.
Hi Wildie.....they are so delicate....and dont last very long when they are in bloom......but they do look good....and if you try and mix them with Lavender...ahh!! even better....cheers Katy
i do love lavendar--it makes for great aroma therapy among other things. the seeds i planted were shirley poppies--don't know if that really means anything different to the growing, but followed packet instructions for our temperate zone growing season according to chart.
Hi Wildie Lavendar is good if you suffer from Migraines.....crush the tiny flower heads gently....and the aroma is soothing.....I have used it for years....((Hugs)) Katy
PS, I put the words 'Shirley Poppies seeds image' into Google........and wow!! a load of information came up and if you click on images....brilliant lots of pics showing what you will get.........xx
Hello Katy and wildflower.. I also dry my lavendar. both the french and spanish. I dry the blossoms on their stems and put them in my bedroom... they are calming to help sleep or so I convince myself lol!
We had some topsoil delivered earlier in the year and decided to try a wildflower meadow effect. Bought cheap seeds from Lidl and scattered with abandon. For a while they looked like a big mistake but have come into their own over recent weeks. Will probably relocate the 'meadow' next year as it's a bit near the house and looks very bad until the flowers appear.
